Cold air and spider mites....

I used azamax, which helped fight the infestation but i could never get rid of them. I did however get a crop, which i dont think i would have without it.
Thanks SSHZ i think i learned a good amount from this thread. I dont like to spray my plants so its good to know that lady bugs help to prevent the problem.

I have heard cooler temps can also help to avoid the problem. They are attracted to the heat.

I have also read that hot shot is carcinogenic. I would not use that product.

Just wiped out an infestation with avid and forbid.

Small doses off eBay. I was very impressed with how easy they were on the plants. They are both non systemic and wiped them out with one application each five days apart.


Also room tear down and complete bleaching of everything. Plus pyrethrum foggers-hot shots no pest strips. Room must be sealed with no ventilation (lights off)

a lot of ppl will bitch about poisons and what not. If you do do it anytime before 3 weeks of flower everything will be gone by harvest.

mites will not live. Ever.

My advice dude..forget stoner methods like making it to cold or my favorite "massive co2 injections" and go thermo nuclear.

Avid, then floromite, then follow up with regular neem in any of its forms

You want to kill the fuck out of them now! That much is sure

Grab 2 hotshot no pest strips from your local Lowes or home depot turn off fans at night, seal room I promise you won't see another mitw after about 3-5 days just try it they cost about 6 bucks a piece

car·cin·o·gen [kahr-sin-uh-juhn, -jen, kahr-suh-nuh-jen, -noh-]

"any substance or agent that tends to produce a cancer."


In empty rooms, they are fine. But don't use them if you are still growing plants.

I would avoid having these in my house at all. Thats just my personal preference though. I wouldnt want to breathe in the air around that thing.

SSHZ said:

car·cin·o·gen [kahr-sin-uh-juhn, -jen, kahr-suh-nuh-jen, -noh-]

"any substance or agent that tends to produce a cancer."


In empty rooms, they are fine. But don't use them if you are still growing plants.

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I whole-heartily agree..........I'd never use them, even as a last resort.

My friend just killed 2 of his 4 plants in a tiny stealth grow just 5 days after introducing the Hot Shot No Pest Strip. He was 2 weeks away from harvest. They are really bad for your pets and they can cause rashes and blurred vision in humans. The warning labels on the box pretty much say it all.

i once used spinosad as a repellant and it worked great. Dead bug jack's brew with spinosad it was called. I also added spreader sticker solution to really make the application "stick".
Before applying, i watered my plants, and let the temperatures go up to 80-85(i believe this makes the spider mites less dormant and more active, and when they get hit with the spinosad they really absorb it). Now i shut the lights off and spray my spinosad application thoroughly, starting by working my way up with my spray bottle that can spray upside down on the undersides of all the leaves of each individiual plant, and afterward do a final top-canopy mist. now i let it sit in there for about an hour and take the plants outta there and as i take each one out, i re-mist them. now i bleach my room , every single crevice, because an egg could be hidden anywhere.

a week later i do a mild misting

always try and stop the problem all the way before flowering. I also keep the room very neat vacuuming up any dead leaves and vacuuming out the room weekly

i don't use bagged soil anymore just coco fiber and bottled nutes; if using soil i suggest sterilizing it before use inside.

i had once switch to mighty bomb which is basically an organic alternative spray, and i didn't like the results. I use it occasionally when i want to give spinosad a break

used the spinosad once again and haven't had the problem since

be weary of bringing other growers equipment, plants, soil, stuff from hydro store, ect into your grow space. imagine it a sterile environment and you must de-contaminate certain things before they can go in, its the first step to winning the battle. Prevention

i use trounce and have found that pyrethrum always works for me. the key is to be more aggressive than they are. i spray every 2 days for 2 weeks whenever i have a problem. They are great at staying alive. I have heard people using CO2 to kill them but this seems a bit expensive and unnecessary to me when there are so many effective products out there for cheap. Like most things prevention is the best cure. keep air flow constantly on the plants and spray neem on the leaves. Keep a close eye on all of your plants (even if they are wedged in the back corner) and be ready to use whatever compound you decide on when the time comes... and it will come

Jstainjunk said:

Like most things prevention is the best cure. keep air flow constantly on the plants and spray neem on the leaves. Keep a close eye on all of your plants (even if they are wedged in the back corner) and be ready to use whatever compound you decide on when the time comes... and it will come

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Good Advice. Be ready. My first encounter with spider mites i saw them, and thought, eh im already in budding, idk what to get thats safe, what could they do? They grew, and grew. and grew. Then i got azmax and thought, eh one or two sprays should do it. And it didnt, i ended up having to cut it early. I think thats actually the plant in my avatar.

I would like to add I tried a newer product called "Nuke Em", 3 sprays 3 days apart. First product I ever used that actually totally worked. But it did have a mild adverse reaction on the leaves. Next time I'll raise my lights higher, flush the soil first and wash the plants off the next morning after application. BUT, the product, while not cheap, did thoroughly wipe out the mite population. Finally!!!!!!

Zippy451 said:

Was told to put an a/c in the window and leave it running overnite to get the room as cold as possible to kill spider mites....anyone ever heard this or tried it?

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I didn't bother reading thr responded in the thread but just spray some Neem oil and castile soap. Usually a tsb of Neem and a few drops of castile per gallon of h2o will do the trick.

Lol at all the people buying Bullshit products.

Go get some natural Neem.

sshz said:

well, the stigmas (i think that's what they are called actually) dry up and die when hit by many of the products mentioned in previous posts. That process probably delays flowering a bit. That's why many manufacturers mention only applying their products in veg, not flowering.

Hot shots and products like those are carcinogenic (cancer causing) and not recommended under any circumstances! I imagine their vapors are absorbed by plant material and although they may be mildly effective, it's the last product i would ever use in my rooms. But some people do swear by them........until they acquire cancer in 15 years. Lol

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pistils the white hairs are pistils

have used Azamax, Dr. Doom. Clean growing area is important.

nova1992 said:

sshz said:

well, the stigmas (i think that's what they are called actually) dry up and die when hit by many of the products mentioned in previous posts. That process probably delays flowering a bit. That's why many manufacturers mention only applying their products in veg, not flowering.

Hot shots and products like those are carcinogenic (cancer causing) and not recommended under any circumstances! I imagine their vapors are absorbed by plant material and although they may be mildly effective, it's the last product i would ever use in my rooms. But some people do swear by them........until they acquire cancer in 15 years. Lol

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pistils the white hairs are pistils

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They are technically stigmas...

Yeah anything sprayed and absorbed through foliage is a systemic chemical. I spray them on the job daily with growth regulators and when it comes to spraying systemic pesticides.. It's tyvex suit, boots, nitrile gloves and full face respirator. I highly suggest you stop spraying any systemic pesticides. Haven't read anything on long term effects of ingestion of plant matter with those applied but I'm sure it's no good. Also we only use it on ornamental so yeah.

Use Neem oil and castile soap, oh... Did I mention... Use Neem oil and castile soap.

Also with watering, mix in a few drops to the water and pour into media.

dirtyteddy said:

They are technically stigmas...

Yeah anything sprayed and absorbed through foliage is a systemic chemical. I spray them on the job daily with growth regulators and when it comes to spraying systemic pesticides.. It's tyvex suit, boots, nitrile gloves and full face respirator. I highly suggest you stop spraying any systemic pesticides. Haven't read anything on long term effects of ingestion of plant matter with those applied but I'm sure it's no good. Also we only use it on ornamental so yeah.
Use Neem oil and castile soap, oh... Did I mention... Use Neem oil and castile soap.

Also with watering, mix in a few drops to the water and pour into media.

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you are correct!! i looked it up + rep for you!!