Soil (root) mites: why they appear in indoor plants, how they can be detected, how to treat them

Despite the fact that the number of root mites is much smaller than that of spider mites, aphids, and scale insects, they cause serious damage to plants. These pests are very smart and cunning. Carefully hiding in the ground and hiding their lair, they eat plant roots. Soil mites pose a danger to indoor and bulbous plants. Most of all they love to feast on orchids, lilies, daffodils, hyacinths and tulips. The parasites begin to gnaw the bulb from below. Climbing between the scales, they infect the diseased tissues of the bulbs, and then proceed to the healthy ones. The plant stops blooming and bearing fruit and dries out. When a bulb is damaged by a soil mite, it becomes covered with brown dust.

A root mite is a small spider. It has three pairs of legs, sharp antennae, and a large light transparent oval body. The parasite is very hardy. Can live for a long time without moisture and food. It feeds on underground parts of plants and organic remains. Lives in tops and fallen leaves.

Description of the pest

Onion root mite is one of the main types of parasites that damage the underground parts of the plant. It is easy to recognize by its appearance: it is translucent, with a shiny surface, milky or yellowish in color.

He is very hardy, and without food and moisture he does not die, his life processes just slow down. But when the temperature rises to +20 °C and the humidity rises, they come to life again and begin to actively feed on roots and bulbs.

Root mites have strong jaws, so they very easily and quickly eat bulb tissue , where in the freed space, females lay large clutches of eggs. Gloxinia, hyacinths and orchids are more susceptible to infection than others.

Let's get acquainted with acaricides - drugs to combat plant mites

All summer residents should remember the rule of nature: “there is food, therefore there are eaters.” This applies to any plants, but it becomes especially important for those that people use for food.

No matter how beautiful and elegant the lush May greens of strawberries or cucumbers look at the time of the beginning of flowering, you need to take a close look at the leaves: suddenly tiny pests have already colonized the folds and the underside of the leaf blades.

How to deal with those who are invisible? Know the biology of the pest and understand acaricidal drugs .

What ticks are harmful in our gardens and vegetable gardens?

If there were ticks last season, they did not disappear in winter. In the spring, when it warms up to +12 degrees Celsius, the common spider mite will come out of winter. The female will lay 150 eggs, from which males and females will hatch, continuing a series of new incarnations. Summer offspring will be only male.

From spring to mid-summer, ticks live on quinoa, nettle, bindweed, and then move to apple trees. As soon as the length of daylight hours becomes equal to 14 hours, only females begin to hatch from the eggs, which will go to wintering. In the spring they will become the founders of new colonies of pests.

Article on the topic: Ivy plant - care and cultivation: propagation, watering, replanting, feeding. Ivy

The hawthorn mite leaves its wintering grounds when the temperature rises above +10 degrees Celsius. These arthropods parasitize apple, pear, cherry, plum, peach, and sweet cherry trees.

The red fruit mite lays eggs in the fall; in the spring, new individuals emerge from them, which will be able to lay eggs at the time when the apple trees begin to bloom. These types of mites harm apple trees, pears, plums, cherries, apricots, almonds, roses, rowan trees, and hawthorns. If this pest has not been talked about, this does not mean that it is not in Siberia, Western and Eastern Europe, and the Far East. But it definitely exists in Crimea, on the Caucasian Black Sea coast.

The onion root mite lives in all territories of Russia. It damages the underground organs of bulbous crops, and not only garlic and onions, but also tulips, hyacinths, lilies, and gladioli. If the bottom of the onion becomes so rotten that it can fall off, the onion mite has worked. The developmental features of insects allow the pests the onion hoverfly and the onion secretive proboscis to spread mites to all the plants in your area.

When to start a war and how to process plants

It is easier to deal with ticks while they have just “emerged” from the egg, while they are still considered young larvae. Later, the larva and adult tick are more resistant to toxic substances, although there are drugs that can destroy even eggs. That is, the timing of treatments against ticks is now becoming clear.

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All dosages are written on the packaging, but you need to spray carefully. The leaves and stems need to be moistened with the working solution thoroughly on all sides so that the “medicine” gets to each tick. Then the effect will be wonderful.

The role of soil mites in nature

Soil is a complex of living and nonliving components that are present in various combinations. Small arthropods, including several groups of mites, contribute to the solidification of the humus fraction and also allow the existence of soil organisms.

Even though mites play a role in soil mixing, it may be small compared to larger invertebrates such as earthworms, insects, crustaceans and centipedes. But at the same time, mites perform an important function in mineral turnover, which allows vegetation to grow, and also participate as destroyers of organic matter.

Soil mites organize a density of 50,000-250,000 units per square meter, which can be found in the upper layers of the soil. Dozens of species can be found in a small area when the soil is rich in organic material such as decaying vegetation, excrement or animal remains. In combination with the microflora on which ticks feed, many of their species help in the decomposition of organic matter that they are able to digest. Thus, soil mites play, if not the main, then an irreplaceable role in the formation of an ecosystem of fertile humus.

Soil mites on indoor plants

In any soil where there is moisture and organic matter, mites appear. Some are attracted to decaying plant remains, others to the roots and bulbs of living plants, and others to springtails, nematodes, insect eggs and larvae. Some species, such as root mites, contribute to the rotting of orchids, gloxinia, and violets. Usually they stay close to the surface; if the condition of the flowers has deteriorated for no apparent reason, then the source of the problem must be sought in the ground. One of the signs of soil mite activity is the appearance of a putrid odor after watering.

Advice. The small size of pests does not allow them to be seen with the naked eye. To objectively determine the presence of mites in the substrate, take a soil sample and examine it with a magnifying glass.

Predatory mites often prey on fellow mites that feed on organic matter. One such species belongs to the Gamasoidea family. Its size is up to 1 mm, the body is rounded, covered with hairs. Color from sand to light brown. This inhabitant of flower pots can be seen on the surface of the soil or on a plant. It is absolutely safe for flowers; on the contrary, it is a destroyer of living creatures that have proliferated in the soil. An increase in the number of predators signals incorrect agricultural practices. Waterlogging of the soil caused the rotting of organic matter and the growth of organisms that feed on it. Hunters multiplied after them.

There is no point in fighting gamasoid mites living in pots. They feed exclusively on soil inhabitants. The mouthparts of predators are adapted for piercing and sucking victims. They disappear after the soil balance is restored. A decrease in moisture and a decrease in the number of protozoa will lead to extinction.

Signs of infection

Root mites harm a variety of plants, primarily by damaging their underground organs. Most often they settle on garlic and onions. Among ornamental plants, they most often infect daffodils, tulips, orchids, gladioli, dahlias and hyacinths. But root mites in indoor flowers are still relatively rare. Plants are harmed not only by adult mites, but also by their larvae.

The leaves undergo deformation - they may warp, and areas different from the main color of the leaves begin to appear on them. The plant stops growing, its peduncle primordia are deformed.

Important! Diseases caused by root mites may be caused by pots in which the soil has not been changed for a long time or the drainage does not function properly.

Damaged bulbs begin to mold and rot. If the bulb has been affected by root mites for a long time, it begins to shrink and loses its elasticity due to dehydration. In the later stages of the lesion, the bulb crumbles into brown dust, and the bottom falls off. Larval skins and excrement of mites can be found in the dust; mites themselves are often found at all stages of development.

Ways to get into a flower pot

To detect soil mites, you need to remove the indoor plant from the pot; in open ground, dig a small hole near the root system and inspect the contents of the soil.

Reasons for the active reproduction of soil mites in indoor flowers:

• frequent and abundant watering;
• lack of drainage and removal of excess liquid in flower containers;
• improper placement of crops (near heating devices);
• old stagnant substrate;
• planting weakened, damaged bulbs, infected seeds;
• highly compacted multicomponent soil mixture that does not allow air to pass through;
• improper storage of planting material.

How to deal with soil mites?

If the substrate is heavily infested with mites, it should be immediately replaced with a fresh one, and the roots of the plant should be thoroughly disinfected. Tansy decoction is ideal for this , which is very easy and simple to prepare. Take 100 g of dry herb and brew it for about 15 minutes in 1 liter of boiling water. Allow the broth to cool and dip the roots or bulbs into it for 30 minutes.

To limit the number of ticks, you need to regulate the moisture in the soil. To do this, you need to stop watering for 7-10 days, and create a good drainage layer at the bottom of the pot, which will regulate the amount of moisture received by the roots.

If a soil plant is seriously infested with mites, one should resort to more serious methods of control, such as chemicals:

• Akarin. A biological agent that has an intestinal contact effect.
• Apollo. A concentrated suspension that has a contact effect on parasites. The rate of its use is always the same - take 2 ml. for 5 l. water.
• Vertimek. A natural preparation created on the basis of a mushroom.
• Mites. An insectoacaricidal drug that is best suited for protecting ornamental plants in closed ground. The effect of this remedy is observed already on the 3rd day after treating the diseased flower.
• Envidor. The drug adheres to the leaves of the diseased plant and prevents further reproduction of pests. Already on the 15th day the flower can be completely healthy.
• Nissan. Effectively kills males, but does not have a detrimental effect on females. In this case, the vital activity of the eggs stops, due to this, the mites die out after a few days.
• Nurrell-D. Copes with all types of ticks at various larval stages. Also fights adult parasites.
• Sunmite. The active effect of the drug will allow you to neutralize the plant after 15 minutes of use. Plants should be sprayed with a diluted solution, and the soil should be sprinkled with powder.
• Flumite. It has a sterilizing effect, due to which females lay non-viable eggs.
• Omite 30 and Omite 57. Effectively destroy most phytophagous mites. They affect the active stages of arachnid development through direct contact or in pairs during evaporation. They do not affect the eggs, but the residual effect of the drug kills the larvae.
• Borneo. They destroy the eggs and larvae of arthropods, do not kill adults, but sterilize the females, thereby reducing the pest population.

In the fight against soil mites, it is quite effective to use traditional methods:

• Soaking the roots of a diseased plant in tansy tincture. The herb can be used both fresh and dried. If freshly picked tansy is used, then you need to take 150 g, if dry, then 25 g. The raw materials are poured into 0.5 liters. hot water and leave for about 20 minutes, then dilute with clean water in a 1:1 ratio. For best results, cleaned tubers and plant roots should be kept in this solution for about 15 - 30 minutes.
• As a spray, you can use a tincture based on wood ash. To do this, infuse 1 tbsp for about a day. ash in 5 l. water. It is also good to add 50 g of crushed laundry soap to this mixture.
• Infusion of alder leaves. In 1 l. boiling water for 36 hours, infuse a tablespoon of finely chopped herbs. The roots of the plant are kept in the infusion at 45 degrees. Do not leave naked bulbs in this healing mixture for more than 8 minutes.
• Spraying with garlic infusion. 2 medium heads of garlic should be placed in a container with 1 liter. boiling water Close tightly and leave for about 5 days in a dark place. Before spraying, dilute the solution 1:1 with clean running water.

Preventive measures against infection

Reference! To avoid infestation of potted plants with root or soil mites, they should be provided with good drainage. Do not over-water flowers, especially in humid indoor climates. You should try to keep the pallets dry; stagnation of water in them is completely eliminated.

Planting material should be stored properly to avoid the appearance of parasites in it. To do this, select sealed packages and place them in a dark and comfortable room in terms of humidity. For planting, you should choose shaded places and control the level of humidity in the room and in the soil.

When root mites appear in indoor plants, immediate measures should be taken to destroy them. The faster preventative work is carried out, the less chance neighboring indoor flowers will have of becoming infected. To prevent soil contamination, you need to control the soil moisture and monitor the drainage of the pot component.

Signs of plant damage

Under normal natural conditions, root mites are found in the soil. The appearance of animals on the ground surface indicates rapid reproduction and exceeding the permissible safe norm. Characteristic signs of damage include:

• the presence around the rhizome of multiple passages (grooves) filled with crushed white dust;
• wrinkled, dried out and loose bulbs covered with mold and spots;
• rotten or rotten tubers that are easily mashed or crumble in your hands;
• deformation of peduncle primordia, growth retardation;
• putrid smell of soil;
• dark areas and small holes on the leaves in the form of punctures with a needle;
• the presence of shells from larvae in the soil mixture;
• brown scar tissue on the undersides of leaves.

It is impossible to see small pests in a pot with the naked eye. To verify their presence, you can use a magnifying glass.

The main reason for the proliferation of mites is excess moisture and undecomposed organic matter. Heavily affected crops are removed along with the soil; for weakened ones, a set of measures is carried out to improve the health and destroy pests:

• restoring soil balance, cleaning and filtering the earth (reducing moisture, nutrients and the number of protozoa);
• plant transplantation;
• reducing the diameter of the wick;
• reducing indoor air humidity;
• treatment with acaricides and insecticides.

If the soil is heavily infested with soil parasites, it is recommended to replace it with a new one. Before planting a plant in a new substrate, its roots must be disinfected. You can use tansy decoction for this. Boil 100 g of herb in a liter of water for about 10 minutes, then cool and keep the plant bulbs in the prepared liquid for 20-30 minutes.

Another effective method that will help significantly reduce the number of ticks is lowering the soil moisture. To do this, indoor flowers are not watered for at least a week. At the bottom of the flowerpot you need to make a drainage layer, with the help of which the humidity is controlled.

Soil mites are hardy. If the conditions for their life worsen, then these arthropods enter diapause - a state similar to suspended animation.

Causes of infection

Ticks live well in warm and moist (even completely liquefied) substrate. Therefore, constant excessive waterlogging of the soil can cause their appearance.

They are also easily transmitted from one infected plant to another. Therefore, infected plants are destroyed or isolated from healthy ones, or immediately treated, while simultaneously carrying out prophylaxis among healthy plants.

The easiest way to infect plants with mites is to purchase bulbs or substrate from the store that already contain the parasite.

All about pests and methods of exterminating them

It often happens that lush greenery growing on the windowsill begins to wither and die. Having discovered an infestation of pests, the distressed housewife searches for the cause and cannot understand where the insects came from.

• The plants were taken outside, to an open veranda or balcony in the warm season.
• Windows or vents were left open for a long time. Theoretically, parasites can enter the house even through a small gap.
• The flower was transplanted into fresh substrate. Even store-bought soil can be contaminated, especially since there is no guarantee of protection if the soil is taken from a forest or garden.
• We bought an infected copy. Unfortunately, infestations are not uncommon in nurseries. They supply such products to stores.
• We made mistakes in daily care. They weaken the living organism, reduce its resistance, which parasites will certainly take advantage of.

Thus, there are quite a few ways for infection. It will not be possible to provide protection from everyone, so you need to prepare to fight for your green pets.

In case of severe damage

How to deal with soil mites if the number of affected areas is already large? Folk remedies can no longer cope; more intensive measures must be used. Treatment with systemic insecticides will help destroy all parasites. Moreover, this remedy acts for a long time, so it manages to destroy even the future generation. Actellik or Neoron are best suited. Do not forget that insects get used to the drugs used, and therefore they should be alternated. Typically, systemic insecticides can save the plant even in the most advanced cases. And only if the bulb begins to rot due to a large amount of damage, it becomes impossible to save it.

Pest prevention

To prevent the appearance of mites, it is necessary to properly handle the bulbs and planting material.

• Do not buy seed, seedlings and flowers if they make you suspicious. Mites most often hide under the first two sheets of onion scales; they are easy to see if you move the scales apart a little. If you cannot check the bulb for mites, it is better to refuse the purchase.
• Own plant material is dried before planting. Onion sets are kept at a temperature of +40°C for 16 hours, after which they are planted in the soil. Seed material for indoor plants is treated with acaricides.
• It is recommended to water the planted plants from time to time with water at a temperature of about +35°C. Such water will be fatal to parasites. During the period of active growth, plants can be sprayed with infusions of tomato tops or chamomile.

On a note! Biological methods are also used to destroy root pests. Hypoaspis mites will happily feed not only on root mites, but also on thrips, regulating the pest population.

Before storing, you need to thoroughly dry both the storage and the bulbs. It is recommended to etch the storage facility with sulfur dioxide. The bulbs are treated with agents against fungi and mites.

Temperature and humidity in storage facilities are reduced. The plant material is powdered with chalk and colloidal sulfur. It is necessary to regularly inspect storage facilities in order to promptly find moldy areas and remove them.

How to treat plants against ticks

It is necessary to treat the flower with chemicals carefully, since mites can enter a state of diapause and successfully wait out the consequences of your procedure. By the way, before processing, remove all damaged leaves and flowers.

So, dissolve actellik in the ratio specified by the manufacturers. If you have a 5 ml ampoule, dissolve it in 1 liter of warm water and then pour it into a container with a spray bottle. Spray the entire plant thoroughly. Places that are difficult to wet by spraying can be wiped with a sponge soaked in the solution. It is advisable to spray not only the diseased plant, but also those that are nearby. I wipe the area under the flower with alcohol.

How to get rid of pests

If the lesion is minor, and you noticed it on time, then no problems with treatment should arise, especially if you know how to get rid of soil mites.

• The easiest way is a soap solution. They water the ground with it and wipe the leaves.
• The second most popular, but not most effective, is an infusion of garlic in water. Usually the procedures are repeated until all symptoms of the disease disappear completely.
• For indoor plants, you can use an ultraviolet lamp. It is enough to keep it on for two minutes a couple of times a week, and all pests will completely disappear.
• Nettle also helps fight pests. To do this, take 0.7 kg of nettle and pour 5 liters of boiling water. Place the vessel in a warm place. After five days, strain, dilute 1:10 and water at the root.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies are very popular and in demand, since they are absolutely safe, but at the same time they help effectively fight pests:

• Tansy. To do this, you need to prepare an infusion of fresh or dry tansy. If you have fresh herb, you will need 150 g of herb and 0.5 liters of water, use only boiling water, leave for 20 minutes. When using dry herb, you will need 25 g, add the same amount of water and leave for the same time. Next, the infusion must be diluted with water, maintaining a 1:1 ratio. Used as an effective means to get rid of pests when transplanting flowers. Dip the roots and bulbs into the infusion for at least half an hour.

• Wood ash. It is used as a tincture for treating the plant itself, as well as for the top layer of soil. For cooking you will need 1 tbsp. l. pour 5 liters of raw materials. water, leave for 24 hours. Before use, add laundry soap to the infusion, you will need 50 g, it is better to grind it so that it dissolves well.

Alder. To prepare the infusion you will need crushed leaves. You need to take 1 cl. l. crushed leaves and pour 1 liter of boiling water, leave for 1.5 days. The infusion is used before planting flowers; it must be heated to 45°C and the roots should be dipped into it and left for about 8 minutes.

Garlic. This infusion helps repel pests, both soil mites and other insects. The action is carried out thanks to the smell. To prepare, you need to take 2 heads of garlic, peel and chop, then place in a container that is hermetically sealed. Pour 1 liter of water into it and close it, you need to leave it for 5 days, but you need to place the container in a dark place. Before spraying plants, dilute in a 1:1 ratio with water.

These traditional methods not only help get rid of pests, but also have a beneficial effect on the plant itself. Their use helps strengthen the flower, make it more resistant to various types of pathogens that cause diseases and create unfavorable conditions specifically for pests.

Structure and shape

Representatives of soil mites - putrefactive and bulbous mites - that are similar in morphological characteristics can be examined in more detail using the example of the second. Its influence on the fruits of human labor in the field of agriculture and gardening obliges us to know the enemy by sight.

Both of these species are polyphagous, that is, they are not particularly picky about food; in other words, they eat everything, from the rough roots of cereals to the delicate bulbs of chrysanthemums. They also do not disdain the root crops of onions, carrots, beets and potatoes, which is why they have earned a sad reputation among gardeners.

In addition to their natural home - earthen soil, these creatures also spread into vegetable stores, cellars and barns.

The means of delivery there are the same plants and fruits that they ate in the wild, and now they will continue to eat them in storage areas, significantly reducing the shelf life of vegetables and cereals.

In their structure, these creatures are similar to the entire family of acarids:

• An adult individual, imago, has an oval, wide and tapering body of a light yellow color, covered with a soft chitinous shield at the base. Short, thick limbs are armed with spines and covered, like the whole body, with bristles.
• Females are 2–3 tenths of a millimeter longer than males and reach just over 1 mm.
• The nymph is the next phase of the development of the soil mite after the larva, exceeding that in size, but inferior to the imago, also having four pairs of legs.
• Larvae are embryos hatched from eggs with three more pairs of legs.
• The egg of the bulb mite is usually white, has a characteristic shape and is relatively large in size.

Another, separate, phase of the nymph, during which the creature experiences unfavorable climatic and other conditions for further development, is called hypopus. At this stage, all vital processes slow down as much as possible, which helps to tolerate temperature and humidity parameters that are critical for the normal state of the individual.

Interesting to know

“The change of phases occurs through the so-called molting, when the old chitinous shell is shed, which indicates favorable growth conditions”

Soil mite, its description and habitat

Soil or earth mites belong to a group of microscopic animals from the Acarid family. Their size ranges from 0.2 to 1 mm. They have an oval translucent body with a shiny tint on 8 limbs. In general, the standard color of these individuals is white or yellow. They are endowed with strong chewing jaws that are capable of piercing the scales of bulbs.

Soil mite

The strong and strong claws of adult individuals are capable of gnawing through the hard shell of plants and making numerous passages in them. The developed oral apparatus is capable of sucking moisture from the buds and from other parts of the plant.

Reference! These individuals are very hardy; they can survive without moisture and food for a very long time. Their vital activity may decrease when the external temperature reaches below +9 or above +27 degrees. Under these conditions, ticks enter a period of diapause, at which point it becomes almost impossible to detect them.

The greatest activity is observed at an ambient temperature of approximately +18 – +20 degrees. Small individuals hide in the ground in whole groups or columns. More often they can be seen on tubers, roots or bulbs. There they feed on the remains of other indoor pests, decaying root crops, bulb pulp and moisture from the pre-root system of plants.

Soil mites reproduce on tubers, roots and bulbs. The high fertility of the female allows her to lay from 300 to 800 eggs. After 30 days, full-fledged larvae hatch from them, which can already feed on their own at the earliest stages of their development.

Cause of root mites

The reason for the occurrence of root mites is the creation of favorable conditions for their life, which is a warm, moist or even completely liquefied substrate. In addition, the disease can be easily transmitted from one plant to another. If field mites are found on any flower, it must be isolated from other indoor plants, otherwise the entire flower garden can be destroyed.

Attention! In damp and humid weather, the soil should not be over-moistened; plants should be watered only as needed. In hot weather, you can also overdo it with water, since the surface of the earth in a dry climate dries out quickly, and the roots do not yet have time to process the incoming liquid. Housewives often do not take this point into account and over-water the plants.

Types of soil mites in indoor flowers

According to the nature of their feeding, field ticks can be divided into:

• Saprophages. They feed on the remains of plants and animals.
• Phytophagous. They eat plant tissue.
• Predators. Their diet consists of small insects and invertebrates.

The most common type is armored mites. They are very resistant to external irritants and feed on dead plants and insects. Their habitat is premises and even the human body. In apartments there are acarid or grain parasites, which come in the following types:

• Tyrophagus. They have an elongated body.

• Rhizoglyphus. Bulb mites.

Chemical attack on root mite

Root mites are resistant to pesticides. For preventative purposes, before planting a home plant, its tubers (or bulbs) are dipped in an oil-soap solution: dissolve half a tablespoon of washing powder in hot water (200 ml). Add 0.5 tbsp to the soap solution. oil (machine). Bring the emulsion to 1 liter with water. The roots should remain in the resulting warm mixture for about half an hour.

Neoron is a time-tested chemical, but ticks can get used to it

Neoron, Apollo, Actellik... These insecticides will be effective if you alternate their use with each other. At the same time, it is better to spray Actellik on those flowers that are located in non-residential premises. Acaricides are also effective: Clofentezin, Karbofos, Dimethoate-400, etc. Pesticides such as DI-68, Tagore, Danadim, ProRogor, Fostran and others are also used. During the period of vegetative growth of domestic plants, if a root mite is detected, the fight should be carried out with a 0.2% solution of Rogor or Keltan. If damage is detected on the roots or bulbs, they must be kept in a solution of Acaricil or watered on the plant. You can also disinfect it in one of the solutions of systemic insecticides Neoron, Apollo.

Nothing brings joy on winter days like a homemade flower in the window. To protect it from pests, you need to know how to combat pathogens and successfully apply knowledge in practice.

Check out articles on similar topics

• Thrips on indoor plants: methods of control and treatment
• How to get rid of whitefly pest on indoor plants and flowers
• How to deal with mealybugs on indoor plants
• How to get rid of scale insects and remedies on indoor plants

Comments

• Svetlana
  A cry for help. I bought several hippeastrum bulbs of different varieties and from different sites and didn’t look much further. All but one have successfully bloomed and are growing, and one seemed to have a missing growth point and did not wake up for a long time. So that it wouldn’t all be in vain, I tried to get children from her, but now I’m crying and don’t know what to do. The onion mite has colonized all the pots and even the crops with children, basically everywhere, and I have about a hundred plants and half of them are bulbous. Help, please, tell me what to do. Fitoverm, Actellik and others like that do not help. I also can’t dry out plants. The land has already been changed more than once. Even before throwing away, I heat everything contaminated at a temperature of 200-250 degrees. I also heat up the new purchased soil and wash the bulbs, but nothing helps.

  21.06.2018

  Answer

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Types of mites that live in soil

Ticks are the largest group of arachnids. 54 thousand species have been described, most of which live in the upper layers of the soil. These animals have microscopic sizes ranging from 0.2 mm to 1 mm. Their body is solid, there are 6 pairs of appendages. The anterior pairs transformed into oral organs - chelicerae and pedipalps. The remaining 4 pairs are legs.

Based on the nature of their diet, they are divided into several groups:

• saprophages - species that feed on organic remains of plant and animal origin;
• phytophages – arthropods that eat plant tissue;
• predators - mites that prey on small insects, invertebrates, nematodes, etc.

Oribatid mites (Oribatida) are the dominant species among soil inhabitants. They go through 5 phases in their development. At the adult stage, they are resistant to various external influences due to the presence of a hard shell. Living and dead plants, mushrooms, and lichens are used as food. There are no parasites among oribatid mites.

Information. The number of Oribatida in the soil reaches 100 thousand individuals per 1 square meter. m.

In addition to oribatids, hundreds of species of mites live in the soil, helping to process organic residues. Their life activity is closely related to microflora. Soil mites eat bacteria, fungal spores, and algae. Their population increases in spring and autumn, when the ground is abundantly moist. During the dry summer period, the arthropod population declines.

The neighbors of saprophagous mites are predators. These individuals are larger in size than their herbivorous relatives. Representatives of the family Bdellidae reach 3.5 mm. These are free-living individuals with a soft body and a growth on the head in the form of an elongated nose. Its diet includes small arthropods and insect larvae.

Why is it dangerous for plants?

Since this insect sucks the juice from the leaves, this leads to the gradual death of some tissue. Numerous “dead zones” form a drying area, resulting in leaves falling off. And without foliage, the plant cannot feed and develop, so it dies.

In addition to this main reason why ticks are dangerous, there are several more:

• it carries viral and fungal diseases;
• spreads gray mold spores;
• makes the plant vulnerable to disease.

Before the insects have time to multiply exponentially, it is immediately necessary to apply various methods of combating larvae, eggs and adults of spider mites.

Characteristic

Strawberry transparent mite belongs to the family of mites. It has a flattened translucent body with rather hard integument. The size of females is about 230 microns, males - 145 microns. In this case, the width of the body is approximately two times less than the length. The size of these creatures is so small that it is impossible to see them with the naked eye.

On a note! Because of these features, the strawberry mite can only be seen when its photo is enlarged many times over!

The strawberry mite is distributed throughout Europe and North America; it lives where strawberries and wild strawberries are cultivated. As a result of its vital activity, this creature causes enormous damage to the harvest of these plantings, not only for the current year, but also for the future. This happens because the parasite disrupts the normal development of plants and adversely affects the formation of flower buds in the month of August. Its harmfulness often depends on the age of strawberry plantings and reaches its maximum value in the third or fourth year of their development.

Infection of beds in most cases occurs when using planting material on which the strawberry mite has already settled. And it spreads throughout the garden during weeding and other plant care activities. The parasite moves to neighboring bushes through tools, clothing and shoes when leaves or tendrils come into contact with them.

Warm, humid weather is favorable for the reproduction of strawberry mites, when the thermometer reaches +20. 25°C, and humidity fluctuates between 80 and 90%. At the same time, direct sunlight is destructive for parasites - being under their direct influence, the pest’s body becomes dehydrated and soon it dies. For this reason, the mite always settles on the underside of the leaf blade or on the lower part of the stem - close to the ground.

Acarid mites - pests on tubers and bulbs

Representatives of the family of acarid or grain mites can be found in various places - apartments, granaries, and on the human body. They are also present in the soil. Two types of arachnids live on the roots and tubers of plants:

• Tyrophagus - elongated mites;
• Rhizoglyphus - bulb mites.

Rhizoglyphus

The root bulb mite is widespread in all countries. It is a polyphagous organism that eats various types of food. The pest's diet includes onions, potatoes, grape roots, cereals and ornamental crops. The body is elongated, yellowish in color. The legs are short and thick, each with large spines. The length of an adult is 0.8-1 mm.

Through mechanical damage, the mite penetrates the bulb and feeds on its juice. If there are no holes, then it gnaws the road with strong claws. In regions with a warm, humid climate, decorative flowers in open ground and greenhouses are at risk. In damaged gladioli, tulips and daffodils, the growth process slows down. They can be infected with various diseases.

Attention. When acarid mites come into contact with human skin, they cause itching and irritation.

The pest is very moisture-loving; it thrives at 100% humidity. Its life processes accelerate with increasing temperature - at +150 the nymph develops in 22 days, and at +250 – 2 days. The female onion mite lays from 200 to 800 eggs. After 7-10 days, larvae emerge from them. The lifespan of adults is 2 months. But the pest also feeds in the early stages of development.

Tyrophagus

The elongated putrefactive mite causes no less damage than the onion mite. This pest under normal conditions lives deep in the ground. When humidity levels are high, it leaves the ground and moves onto the plant. The mite damages the leaf blade; it prefers to settle on young shoots.

Signs of soil mite damage include:

• the appearance of spots on the surface of the plant bulb;
• drying of the bulbs;
• the inside of the tubers turns to dust;
• the appearance of punctures on the leaves;
• a brown coating of scar tissue on the underside of the leaf blade.

The main measure to combat elongated and root mites is humidity control. To destroy the pest, plants are treated with Fitoverm. The soil is sprinkled with powders and granules - Sunmite, Nissoran. Bulb planting material should be stored in a dry place. They are warmed up before storing. Material with external damage is immediately removed.

How to recognize a spider mite

The first signs of mite infestation of plants:

• The leaves begin to turn yellow from the bottom. Affected areas lose chlorophyll, become discolored and dry out.
• Since the leaves do not receive the required amount of nutrients, they curl and fall off.
• The places where the spider mite colony has settled are covered with a thin web.
• If you do not start fighting these pests, the plant gradually weakens and may die.

Insecticides and acaricides for pest control

But if you don’t want to take risks, the defeat is quite serious, then only two options will be effective. Bulb mites and root mites will die from:

• Biological products against insect pests. Many modern preparations based on essential oils and extracts from plants, vermicompost, etc. have a systemic insecticidal effect. And they can be successfully used to combat root mites.
• Insecticidal preparations are an effective, but not the most effective method of control. Instead of systemic insecticides, it is better to use more “highly specialized” drugs - acaricides, designed to combat ticks specifically.

Treatment with both biological and chemical insecticidal agents is carried out in the same way: the bulbs are soaked in the solution, strictly following the manufacturer’s instructions for its concentration and duration of treatment. After disinfection, the bulbs are thoroughly dried, and only then they begin to plant.

Any container (even a new one) in which an onion that has been treated against root mites will be planted will have to be disinfected. For cleaning, use either alcohol, boiling and scalding, or a solution of insecticides.

Only fresh soil is used for planting, preferably from ready-made purchased substrates with a guarantee of treatment against soil pests.

What is a pest: characteristics

Spider mites on indoor plants are a frequent visitor, dangerous and well adaptable to environmental conditions, so treatment with chemicals should be carried out in combination with other control methods.

It is known that ticks do not tolerate ultraviolet radiation, so for its destruction and prevention, you can purchase a special lamp. Procedures for irradiating a flower for only 2 minutes every week will significantly reduce the reproduction of the pest, in addition, ultraviolet radiation will strengthen the immunity of the “green pet”.

Important! When irradiating with a lamp, special attention must be paid to the inside of the leaves, where the pest lives.

Fresh air

In the summer, if the weather permits, the affected plant can be taken to an open balcony or veranda. In nature there are many insects that feed on spider mites. For example, a predatory mite perfectly destroys both adults and larvae, while it itself is not a pest of indoor flowers.

Pure medical alcohol (96% solution) has proven itself well in the fight against spider mites on indoor plants. You can wipe the leaves with a cotton swab soaked generously in alcohol or spray the flower with a spray bottle. However, it should be borne in mind that this method is very effective, but is not suitable for all plants.

Recommended for specimens with hard, dense leaves: monstera, ficus, rose, palm. Plants with a waxy coating on stems and leaves can be treated with caution: cacti, succulent species. At the same time, do not act on the entire flower, but only where the largest concentration of pests is detected.

Advice! Before completely spraying the plant with alcohol, it is recommended to test on several leaves.

Folk remedies

When exterminating mites on indoor plants, you can start with more gentle methods.

• Infusion of tobacco. You need to take 500 g of dry tobacco, pour it into a container and fill it with 10 liters of clean water. After two days, mix the contents of the container well and strain. This solution is effective not only against ticks, but also against many other pests. Before spraying, it is recommended to dilute it 1.5–2 times with clean water and add 40 g of soap; this is necessary so that the tobacco infusion adheres to the surface of the leaves.
• Garlic infusion. To prepare the infusion you will need 500 g of peeled young garlic cloves, 3 liters of clean water and a few drops of liquid soap. The cloves need to be ground well and filled with water, after which the container should be placed in a shaded place. After 5 days, the infusion will be ready. Before spraying, it should be diluted with water at the rate of: 60 g of infusion - 10 liters of clean water. You need to add soap to the prepared solution.
• Soap solution. Perhaps this is the most accessible remedy for novice gardeners, when there are no chemicals in the “first aid kit”, and control measures should be taken immediately. The flower pot should be placed in the bathtub or sink, then take a soft sponge and generously soap it with laundry or any other soap. Apply foam to the stems and leaves, treat the pot and lightly moisten the top layer of soil with the solution. Leave the flower in this state for 4 hours, then rinse off the soap with clean water.

These methods of combating spider mites on indoor plants are good, but do not completely destroy them, and can only act as a short-term measure to prevent the proliferation of pests. For complete destruction it is necessary to carry out a course of spraying with chemicals.

Attention! Tobacco infusion is poisonous to humans, so you should wear gloves when working with it.

The most popular: “Aktelik”, “Vertimek”, “Kleschevit”, “Nurell-D” and many others. The drug “Fitoverm”, developed on the basis of natural ingredients, has proven itself well; it is less toxic and is the optimal solution for controlling pests in enclosed spaces. Spider mites quickly get used to chemicals, so it is recommended to buy several types and alternate them.

This is the first thing you need to do so that you don’t have to grieve for your dead green pet. You can prevent the appearance of spider mites using the following methods:

1. Keep the new, acquired crop in quarantine (separate window sill), periodically inspecting it. Even if you don’t immediately see signs of a pest, this does not mean that it is not there. Regular inspection of the plant is an important condition for its health. At the first sign of a pest, treatment should begin.
2. Frequently ventilate the room. Ticks love dust and stagnant air.
3. Regular spraying to increase air humidity. Dry climates are the pest’s favorite environment.
4. Wash the window sill, pots, trays with a solution of laundry soap, and wipe the glass.
5. Remove debris and fallen leaves near the flower.

Constant “bathing” in warm water with added soap prevents harm to the plant. But he is able to lay eggs in other places and move to his favorite flower again. For prevention purposes, you can also use a household UV lamp. It is enough to treat the plant with it for 1-2 minutes. once a week.

The mite does not like ultraviolet radiation and hides on the underside of the leaf blade. Over time, you can destroy the “uninvited guest” and increase the immunity of indoor culture. At the first signs of the disease, you can treat with 96% alcohol. After wetting the cotton wool, wipe the leaves and stems of the indoor crop. Don't forget to treat the window sills and wash the curtains to ensure you get rid of the pest.

Although this method is more labor-intensive, it is effective. Substances contained in some plants fully cope with the “web invasion”. Treatment is carried out three times with an interval of 5-7 days.

The procedure for getting rid of spider mites is always a multiple-use event. It is good if the lesion is detected at the initial stage and it is possible to carefully cut off the diseased stem (branch) and burn it. However, it should be taken into account that when a flower moves, mites may fall onto healthy leaves, neighboring flowers or a windowsill. Therefore, it is better to prune affected areas away from healthy plants.

Sometimes it is better to completely isolate a sick flower from the rest of the greenery. Ticks are able to move independently and explore new territories.

• treating the affected areas with a concentrated soap solution. In this case, the plant is not just sprayed, but literally washed out with a sponge. The foam is left for 3-4 hours, after which it is washed off with clean water. Be sure to treat the flower pot. At the end of the procedure, the plant is covered with a plastic bag to maintain high humidity.

We invite you to read: Ticks in cats: treatment, symptoms, types and preventive measures

Important! The procedure should be repeated for several days or even weeks until the plant is completely cleared of parasites.

• treating affected areas with water and sulfur-tar soap or dishwashing detergent. The flower is sprayed with a concentrated solution daily until the mites are completely destroyed.
• treating the affected areas with garlic water. Two heads (not cloves) of garlic are crushed on a grater or passed through a press, and 1 liter of water is poured in. After 2-3 days, the resulting tincture is generously sprayed on both sick and healthy plants.
• treating ticks with tobacco. The principle of preparing the tincture is similar to the recipe with garlic. The cheapest tobacco is filled with water and infused for up to 3-4 days.
• spraying pests with dandelion infusion. To prepare poison against ticks, plant roots and water (30 g x 1 liter of water) are used. Infusion time is 5-6 hours.

All chemical products are harmful to the human body. When using them, be sure to follow the safety measures and regulations specified in the instructions.

• The most gentle means for use in enclosed spaces are drugs of the avermectin group (Aktofit, Vermitek, Fitoverm). They are effective against adults, but are powerless against eggs, larvae and females in the diapause stage.
• If you want to immediately deal with the eggs, it is better to use the Apollo drug. However, it is designed to combat red fruit mites or common spider mites. Its effect does not apply to other types of pests.
• If we take into account that Gesneria plant varieties are more often attacked by the clearhouse mite, cyclamen mite, strawberry mite or flat mite, then Apollo preparations will not be able to protect the affected flowers. The gardener will only waste time.
• Actellik is strictly contraindicated for use indoors. Evaporating, it saturates the air in the room with poisons and is dangerous to health.

The treatment of indoor flowers is repeated several times according to the instructions. If the result is not visible after the first use, this is normal. As already mentioned, the procedure for getting rid of spider mites is long-term and multifaceted.

Life cycle

Females are distinguished by significant fertility: one female lays up to 800 eggs. But unfertilized females do not lay eggs. From 5 to 25 pieces are deposited per day. The female lives up to two months.

Each generation develops within 10-30 days.

Females lay eggs in bulbs or in the substrate on which they have settled.

Eggs. The embryo develops from 4 to 11 days, depending on temperature.

Larva. Development occurs at temperatures from +15°C to +25°C and air humidity of 80-100%. Development, depending on conditions, lasts from 2 to 22 days. When humidity is below 60%, the development of the larvae stops.

Hypopus. Under unfavorable conditions or lack of food, a very resistant form of the pest (hypopus) appears. In this form, ticks can exist for a very long time in the absence of food. Hypopus can be spread by the onion fly, hoverfly, onion secrecy and other insects.

The lower threshold for the development of the pest is + 9.7 ° C. The sum of effective temperatures required for the full development of one generation is 181 °. All stages of the pest are observed simultaneously.

What is a pest: characteristics

To learn how to fight a pest, you need to know it in person.
Spider mites are small representatives of the Arachnida class. It may not be noticed immediately, because... The tick size is only 1-2 mm. It parasitizes most cultivated plants, both garden and indoor. And, despite its small size, the damage is significant. Distributed everywhere. The body is oval. Its lower part is smooth, its upper part is convex, covered with small bristles. The color of the tick depends on the species and varies from red to colorless. The piercing mouthparts allow the sap to be sucked out of plants.

The appearance of the pest, enlarged several times. A representative of the Arachnida class, which, using a piercing mouthparts, sucks juice from different parts of the plant.

Sexual dimorphism is characteristic: males are smaller than females. The development cycle includes: egg - larva - nymph - adult:

1. The female lays eggs in small groups - up to 3 pieces. In total, she manages to lay 200 eggs during her life cycle.
2. Fertilized eggs produce females, and unfertilized eggs produce males.
3. After three days the larvae hatch, and after another day the nymph hatches.
4. The nymph molts three times before developing into an adult tick.
5. The duration of the life cycle is related to air temperature. The higher it is, the shorter its duration. At 20C the life cycle lasts 20 days.

Under favorable environmental factors (25C and dry air), ticks live and reproduce all year round. Under conditions that are unsuitable for them, a state of diapause occurs. This is something like suspended animation, when all vital processes slow down.

The parasite's egg is spherical, slightly flattened, with a tail at the top. The female is capable of laying eggs in a variety of places: in the soil, on the walls of pots, on the roots of plants, on the inside of the leaf blade. With negative external factors, egg development stops for 4-5 years.

"Fitoverm" is an indispensable drug for protecting plants from pests

There is a very interesting way to get rid of this common pest. It is safe for humans and pets. In addition, no additional effort is required to implement it. The essence is the use of natural enemies against mites - phytoseiulus and amblyseius. These are also representatives of the Arachnida class, only predatory. They are bought in flower shops, garden centers or ordered online.

You need to proceed as follows. Open the package and release predatory mites into the flower pot. Once free, they begin to look for food and find it quite quickly. During the day, one “hunter” eats 5 ticks and 10 eggs. The more predatory mites you release, the faster you will rid your plant of the pest. But as soon as all the ticks are eaten, their natural enemy will die without food.

Kinds

Four-legged garlic mite (Aceria tulipae)

Exceptionally small even among ticks. The length of an adult female is 0.25 mm, width – 0.15 mm. Males are even smaller - 0.21 x 0.10 mm. It parasitizes the bulbs of many plants of the lily family, but is most often found on garlic, onions and tulips, both on vegetative plants and on planting material. At temperatures above + 9 °C they become active. At +18…+20 °C a new generation appears every 8–10 days. Females crawl onto the surface of the leaves of affected plants, from where they are carried by the wind. These pests can use various insects as unique vehicles. The second period of active spread is the storage time of the collected bulbs. If there is high humidity in the storage, mites crawl from the affected bulbs to healthy ones.

Signs of defeat and damage. Leaves become deformed and light spots may appear. At the moment of resettlement of females, the plant becomes covered with a whitish coating (the bodies of mites). Affected bulbs have characteristic yellow spots on the fleshy living scales. Over time, the bulb becomes dehydrated and shrivels. Often, rot and mold begin to develop on damaged tissues, which later spread to the entire bulb. Four-legged mites not only depress plants, but also spread infections.

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Onion root mite (Rhizoglyphus echinopus) and related species

Translucent, often slightly yellowish or whitish in color. When observed through a microscope, the long bristles on the body immediately catch the eye. The size of adult females can reach 1.1 mm. They live in the soil for a long time, feeding on fungal mycelium and plant debris. When a female mite enters a plant, it burrows into a stem, tuber or bulb, where it lays eggs. During her life (30–40 days), the female can lay from 100 to 800 eggs. A colony quickly appears in the affected plant. Activity begins already at +6 °C. At +20 °C, a new generation of the pest appears every 20 days. At +25 °C, it takes only 10 days for a new generation to appear. Temperatures above +35 °C are detrimental for many ticks of this genus - they fall into torpor. With a further increase in temperature, they die. When a colony is threatened with starvation, special larvae appear - hypopus. They do not feed and are very resistant to atmospheric drought and to the effects of not only chemicals, but also radiation. Their only task is to find new places to eat. The hypopus has special hooks on its legs, with the help of which it is fixed on the body of insects and on the fur of animals.

Signs of defeat and damage. The affected scales of bulbs and tubers gradually wrinkle and dry out, turning into dust. Various fungi begin to develop on the affected tissues, causing rot and mold. Plants from affected bulbs are weakened. The seedlings do not develop, get sick and very often die. These mites cause severe allergies and asthmatic complications in vegetable store workers and bulb sorters. There is even a special medical term - rhizoglyfusiosis (a disease caused by ticks of the genus Rhizoglyphus).

Putrefactive elongated mite (Tyroglyphus putrescentiae)

If root mites purposefully search for and infect bulbs and tubers, then putrefactive mites begin to cause harm only under certain circumstances - high humidity and elevated temperature in the storage. Externally they are very similar to root mites. Only putrefactive mites have longer and thinner hairs. Almost omnivorous, they destroy plantations of champignons and oyster mushrooms, damage leaves on seedlings of asters and cucumbers, and render cheese starter unusable in cheese factories. If tubers, bulbs, and root vegetables are stored at high humidity, they will inevitably be damaged by putrefactive mites.

Signs of defeat and damage. Rot mites always have spores and particles of fungal mycelium on their bodies, so they also infect stored plant material. While feeding, the mite causes damage to plants (roots, bulbs, tubers), and fungi and bacteria immediately settle on the injured tissues - the bulbs become covered with rot and mold. Mites of this group cause allergic diseases in people whose professions are related to the storage and processing of grain, groceries, cheese making, storing vegetables, and sorting bulbs. Eating foods containing arthropods can cause indigestion and even foodborne tick-borne anaphylaxis.

Source

Types of root pests

Any wet soil will sooner or later have ticks. Some are attracted by the root system of flowers, others by the remains of decaying plants, and still others by insects that live in the soil. Root mites, for example, lead to rotting of violets, orchids and gloxinia. Often pests are found in the top layer of soil. When flowers begin to fade for no apparent reason, the problem must be looked for in the soil. The main sign of the presence of soil mites in indoor flowers is the smell of rot after watering.

Most often, garden crops are affected by two types of pests: the elongated mite of the genus Tyrophagus and the bulbous root mite of the genus Rhizoglyphus. Numerous colonies of these species are capable of destroying seedlings of most ornamental plants.

The most harmful is the elongated or putrefactive type. It lives deep in the ground, and when humidity is high, it crawls to the surface and eats the above-ground parts of plants. It settles on young shoots or in pollen boxes, which leads to premature wilting of the flower. In damaged areas, this type of mite spreads putrefactive infection and other pathogenic bacteria.

Ticks of the genus Rhizoglyphus are not found on the surface. They can only be identified by examining the tubers and bulbs. The pest is a moisture-loving pest and develops quickly at 100% humidity. Representatives of the genus feed on soil fungi, the juice of bulbous flowers, grape roots, cereals, and love onions and potatoes. This is the only species that causes irreparable harm to irises.