Spider mite-looking bugs found in my soil I recycled from last grow

Hi all!

I just finished up a harvest of 3 plants grown in organic soil. After chopping the plants, I removed the root systems, shook all of the dirt off them into a bin, and I put the soil back into pots and planted seeds in them for my next grow.

Upon closer inspection of the topsoil in one of my pots, I see what I am pretty sure are young spider mites that recently hatched in the soil. See attached photo.

I have 4 pots in the same stage - full of soil, and seeds planted 3 days ago. I feel like in some sense, I am lucky that they aren't fully-grown plants yet. What do you think would be the best way to kill them at this stage? I put Diatomaceous Earth on the tops of each pot, but I was wondering what the community here would suggest to do on top of my DE treatment? Is there a good way to sterilize them completely? I'm not worried about the seeds I planted, I just want to sterilize the soil and set myself up for success.

UPDATE: Is it possible that these aren't spider mites? I see some phytoseilus spider mite predators that have the same shape/coloration as the ones in my soil. See here: https://www.google.com/search?q=phytoseiulus+persimilis+young&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwjz6a7boMntAhUO_qwKHUTYDRYQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=phytoseiulus+persimilis+young&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzoCCAA6BAgAEB46BggAEAUQHlD_swNY-bsDYKm9A2gAcAB4AIABSogB7gKSAQE2mAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWfAAQE&sclient=img&ei=ciTVX_PoPI78swXEsLewAQ&bih=1080&biw=2752&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS890US890

They look like beneficial mites.

my suggestion is probably what you are going to hear so here it goes get rid of everthing seeds and all clean your room by new everthing and carry on Sorry it happened

osowhom said:

my suggestion is probably what you are going to hear so here it goes get rid of everthing seeds and all clean your room by new everthing and carry on Sorry it happened

Click to expand...

Not mites.....
FF

myke said:

They look like beneficial mites.

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I was thinking this is possible too. The reason, is that there are TONS, yet, my plants that were previously growing in this same soil have ZERO mites on them. They are hanging up drying, and I checked many of the remaining sugar leaves, and I havent seen a single mite on them. I have had two-spotted spider mites years ago, and they don't look like these.

Damn, I hope they aren't beneficial mites. I just threw diatomaceous earth on top of the top soils of each pot. If they were spider mites, I'd feel no remorse.

well maybe you are in luck

Gimpygrower said:

I was thinking this is possible too. The reason, is that there are TONS, yet, my plants that were previously growing in this same soil have ZERO mites on them. They are hanging up drying, and I checked many of the remaining sugar leaves, and I havent seen a single mite on them. I have had two-spotted spider mites years ago, and they don't look like these.

Click to expand...

osowhom said:

my suggestion is probably what you are going to hear so here it goes get rid of everthing seeds and all clean your room by new everthing and carry on Sorry it happened

Click to expand...

Yea, I get it. I have been growing indoors for 6 years or so, and in my early days, managed to have 5 discreet two-spotted spider mite infestations, so I remember the month-long process of sterilization to get them out of the room. Perhaps these aren't plant-eating bugs though!

@Dr. Who might be of help here

myke said:

They look like beneficial mites.

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I sure hope so. I'm pretty hopeful too, my plants that were chopped and growing in the same soil just a week ago have no webs or mites under the leaves.

Here is a closeup that might help id these guys

Yeah, those are phytoseiulus persimilis, predator mites...

https://www.rollitup.org/t/is-this-a-spider-mite.1037653/#post-15941394
check post #13

Check this thread:


And read this reference:


Some of the mites are very beneficial.

myke said:

https://www.rollitup.org/t/is-this-a-spider-mite.1037653/#post-15941394
check post #13

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Awesome! I did overwater at the end of the previous grow that used the soil, and the soil was a tiny bit moist when I stored it in a bin for a week. It would make sense that perhaps the fungus gnats came and the predators too!

TaoRich said:

Check this thread:

Soil mite questions hypoaspis (Stratiolaelaps scimitus)

Just a couple questions regarding soil mites hypoaspis (Stratiolaelaps scimitus) If i put them in my potted plants and reuse my soil will they stay and live in the soil long term? Even if there's no fungus gnat larvae too feed on? also could i just put them in my bin of amended pro mix that I...

www.rollitup.org

And read this reference:

Soil

Learn more about Soil with University of Illinois Extension

web.extension.illinois.edu

Some of the mites are very beneficial.

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Thanks! I'm glad they are beneficial insects. I've been very careful to manage my temperature and humidity, as well as cleanliness of decaying leaves, so I would have been surprised to get spider mites a 6th time.

Preditor mites.... they're the good guys. They eat fungus gnat larvae. I had a bout of FN on the last run, and found these guys in the run off. I didn't introduce them into the soil, they were just there.

DoubleAtotheRON said:

Preditor mites.... they're the good guys. They eat fungus gnat larvae. I had a bout of FN on the last run, and found these guys in the run off. I didn't introduce them into the soil, they were just there.

Click to expand...

Awesome little guys. The tops of my 4 fabric pots are overrun with soil mites. Completely covered