captainmorgan
Well-Known Member
Think I've released 600 lady bugs in my grow in the last two weeks lol.
Quantum Boards Grow
- Thread starter captainmorgan
- Start date
nevergoodenuf
Well-Known Member
Did you build them a home first?
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
I successfully colonized my grow with spidermite predators once.
Green_Skunk
Well-Known Member
Umm, no thanks! I'll take my chances with Predator mites instead. Don't want to inhale some dead lady bug encapsulated in a bud! Nasty!
thebluntman
Active Member
I never released hundreds of them or anything but its nothing for me to find 20 of them outside in 5 mins.
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
Spidermite predators stick around; ladybugs don't.
captainmorgan
Well-Known Member
Different tools for different jobs, BTI for fungus gnats, predator mites for spider mites, nematodes and lady bugs for root aphids.
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
Lady bugs for ROOT aphids? For real? It's the first time I've heard this.
captainmorgan
Well-Known Member
I had lots of flyers but haven't seen any in a couple days, also have new root tips through the fabric pot, the nematodes take care of the soil.
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
So maybe the nematodes did in the root aphids? I've had them before and I'm always interested in less poisonous ways of dealing with pests.
captainmorgan
Well-Known Member
The nematodes are a microscopic worm that will take care of the soil born phases of root aphids but not the flyers, that's were the lady bugs come in. I'm more worried about root rot at this point which can happen from a root aphid infection, I'm more than halfway through flower. I've been using a new product called Z7 for a while which is a root enzyme and beni and I think it has saved the day so far on root rot.
ttystikk
Well-Known Member
How would ladybugs stop the flyers? I'm not doubting you, I'm just trying to understand how it works.
captainmorgan
Well-Known Member
The flyers like to hang out on the outside of the fabric sleeves just above the res and so do the lady bugs. Last week I had hundreds of flyers clinging to the sleeve and today I didn't see one.
thebluntman
Active Member
I think what he means is the ate them 
Discreetdigrowman
Well-Known Member
Lady bugs are aggressive predators even if they didnt eat them. all prey flee from predators. Put some diamectious earth on the soil and the flyers will die trying to get to soil
captainmorgan
Well-Known Member
Not a hard pot, octopot has a fabric root sleeve open on both ends so DE won't work. I think the battle is over, haven't seen a flyer in days and have fresh white root tips sticking out all over the root sleeve. Feeling pretty good about not having to spray poison around the garden, killed them with predators.
Hybridway
Well-Known Member
Looking good!
The 630's are allot brighter hu?
I like that you mixed em up. Real nice work!
Abiqua
Well-Known Member
if you have spidermites...most people colonize them and breed them seperately when the mites disappear, aka food source, wolves in Yellowstone, blah blah blah....
Abiqua
Well-Known Member
Captain or anyone else, have a link for your preds? I would like to use them on a regular basis, I have just seen some outrageous pricing, worse than seeds.....
captainmorgan
Well-Known Member
Captain or anyone else, have a link for your preds? I would like to use them on a regular basis, I have just seen some outrageous pricing, worse than seeds.....
Yeah it can be pricey to order online because they all seem to insist on overnight delivery. I'm lucky and have a grow store near me that specializes in organics and stocks beneficial insects like lady bugs,nematodes,predator mites and praying mantis. I only pay $6 for 150 lady bugs and $28 for 10 million nematodes, can't remember how much for predator mites. Just picked up another pack of nematodes today and plan to inoculate a batch of soil with them as a preventive. Here's the company the store orders from.
https://tiptopbiocontrol.com/