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Red spider mites in indoor growing
The "Tetranychus urticae", also called red spider mite or two-spotted spider mite, is a plant-feeding parasite.
The red spiders are migthy small (about 0.5 mm), but you can ricognize them from red or green spots on the plant (especially on leaves).In order to detect them, a 10x or 15x magnifier is needful.
You must examine leaves nearly (expecially their bottom side); a very efficient method to discover red spiders is to place a white paper under the leaves and hit them abruptly: red spiders will fall on the paper, where they will be more easily examined than on leaves.They can eat on different plants, from ornamental plants to vegetables, and they usually leave a little white web on (or under) the leaves. They leave eggs over the leaves, and they feed on nourishing substances contained into the plant cells, which will appear as whiter spots, after their attack.
Although these spots are very small, considering the high number of individuals of a single infestation, their damages usually destroy plants, blocking the natural process of chlorophyll photosynthesis inside the cells.
In summer, red spiders have a brown colour and two darker spots, but in winter they assume a stronger red shape.
How to control them
The best control system for Tetranychus urticae is a biological one: the Phytoseiulus Persimilis, its natural predator. But to defend them chemically, you will have to use specialized products, such as Folimat, Amitraz, Dicofol or Clofentezine, suitable for eggs.
Advices for indoor growing
- The most important thing is to keep your grow room clean: this will be very helpful in preventing spider mites infestation.
- Even temperature, humidity and air quality must be kept under control. You can obtain this result using fans and carbon filters
- Avoid contaminations: if you come from some place potentially with bugs you should change your dressing before entering your grow room
- You should buy sterile soil
- Keep pets far from your grow room!
