New bug on the block.

Posted by Matthew's Garden | Aug 15, 2019 | Grower Questions | 6 |

A new bug just showed up on most my plants after a major rain. I got about 2″ of rain last night, and when I said good morning to my plants I noticed these little critters. And I’ve now also gotten some ants that have invaded.

I monitored for a while to see if the ants were hunting the new bug but I didn’t notice that happen.

P.s. Sorry these are the best pics I can get of the bugs, my phone is shit.

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Matthew's Garden

Growing is my passion. I spend hours every day out in my field and I wouldn't have it any other way. If my hands aren't dirty my day is not complete. My garden is done by me and only me, I had no crew to help do anything from clearing the field this Spring to foliar spraying this morning. I just grabbed a saw and a shovel and got to work. Thanks to that I have found my passion in life. Thank you so much to the DGC for all your help this year. I love you guys.

6 Comments

JustCoolin on August 15, 2019 at 6:09 pm

Im thinking aphid can almost see the tail pipes.

https://www.growweedeasy.com/cannabis-plant-problems/aphids

But im not much of an outdoor grower so limited exposure. If you can see two antenna leg looking appendages sticking out the rear of these guys then definitely aphid.
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- Matthew's Garden on August 16, 2019 at 10:58 am
  
  Thank you JustCoolin so much for pointing me in the right direction. I spent most the night reading up on aphids. The bug lady was the best source of information. I was able to identify the specific species of aphids on my plants and learn the proper way to bring that back to the economic threshold.
  I went back out to my plants this morning and there was no more aphids on my plants at all. And I spent about an hour looking for them. All I could find was the ants collecting the honeydew left over from the aphids. I plan on paying D.E. down to take care of them today.
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JustCoolin on August 16, 2019 at 11:22 am

Rain must have ran them out of their preferred habitat. But but sounds like the cannabis is their second choice. The buglady is the best, especially if you can gain some knowledge from the many podcasts that have her on. Growers love hope they stay away.
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- JustCoolin on August 16, 2019 at 12:48 pm
  
  New idea. Wondering if the rain reduced plant metabolism not allowing plants to convert all the ammoniacal nitrogen to proteins like amino acids. The plant sucking insects feed on the ammoniacal nitrogen and make their own specific proteins and amino acids with it. They can’t use the specific ones for plants. Just wondering if that hit in dli caused the plant to stall out.
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  - Matthew's Garden on August 16, 2019 at 2:41 pm
    
    Thank you again for your help.
    The rain happened overnight so my dli didn’t get much change, and none of the plants have stalled out at all they are all thriving quite well.
    The rain was not on the forecast at all. I had just spent hours watering all my plants right before sundown and the moment I got done it started raining and it didn’t stop all night. (Thank you weatherman) I’m glad I have raised beds with good drainage.
    The aphids showed up the morning after. Very very small. The pics I posted were the biggest ones I could find after searching for an hour.
    I thought maybe I got lucky and I have native nocturnal predator insects that really got down hard on some punk ass aphids overnight.
    I do agree that it is also possible they have primary homes that they were driven out of because of all that water and rain and they just decided to return to there primary homes overnight.
    It may be that my plant is very resistant to pest as well, Ive been applying a once a week treat foliar of Pro-teKt, bioag fullpower, and aloe vera throughout the plants lives.
    I’m wondering if the aphids will return after every major rain. If so, what can I do to prevent them from doing so? I have been thinking spraying a garlic oil barrier around the plant periodically.
    Any other ideas?
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AsmoGrows on August 16, 2019 at 6:31 pm

They do look like aphids (clearer up close macro would help) particularly as you have ants too. Ants farm aphids so try and blast the ants with predatory nematodes to keep them controlled then aphids are all pretty easy to beat down though you are getting late to treat now in North America at least so be careful depending on location with sprays.

Green lacewings decimate aphids, get hatchlings as you have ants who will eat the eggs, but the aphid alligators (hatchlings or nymphs) eat a ton of aphids a day if present (like 200 each per lacewing a week.) I don’t know if you can get lacewings or if they thrive there but they are a great all around predator.
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