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Pests
Spider Mites. Very small, about 0.5mm, often brownish in color but sometimes red. They attack the underside of the leaves first, later moving to the growing tips. In severe infestations, webbing (as in spider web) will be quite noticeable.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: The first signs are tiny yellow pinprick sized light green later becoming yellow dots, which are feeding marks, on the top of the leaf surface. The mites and eggs can be readily seen on the underside of the leaf with a magnifying glass. On the shoot tips a substantial amount of webbing is usually present in severe infestations. If the mites get to this stage before you notice them, they will have already done considerable and irreversible damage.
Canadian Xpress Spray Safe is a non toxic MITE killer that can be used right up until harvest.
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Aphids. Small (1-4mm) pear shaped slow moving soft-bodied insects. Can be white, black or various shades of green. They usually breed quite quickly and form colonies. Also occur on the leaves-usually underneath. They may have wings though most specimens in a population do not. Aphids suck the sap from plants.
Another species also attacks roots.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR:colonies of insects crowded on the growing tips (see pic below) or under the leaves, which may be curled and twisted.
Canadian Xpress Spray Safe is a non toxic APHID killer that can be used right up until harvest.
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White Fly. Small (5-6mm), white insects that fly when disturbed. At rest, they are usually found on the underside of the leaf but may occasionally can be seen elsewhere. Larvae are small (3mm) yellowish, oval shaped and immobile and found on the underside of the leaf.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Small white insects that fly when disturbed. In severe infestations, they produce spots of sticky honeydew that in time turn black from a fungus called sooty mould. Severe infestations can seriously debilitate plants.
Canadian Xpress Spray Safe is non toxic and will control whitefly nymphs and can be used right up until harvest.Broad Mites. Microscopic pests which are invisible to the naked eye. The symptoms are first seen in the growing tips which become very distorted, stop growing and eventually die. This pest is becoming more common becoming more common.
Scale Insects. A number of species occur but most are round or egg-shaped and range in colour from white through to black. Usually they are 2-3mm in diameter. They are immobile as adults.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Raised hard immobile lumps on the stems that are obviously not part of the plant. They can be white, black or brown and can vary in size from yje size of a pinhead to over 5mm in diameter, depending on the species. They can be squashed with some effort.
Canadian Xpress Scale Spray is a non toxic Scale killer.Mealy Bug. Very slow moving white, soft bodied insects. They are 3-4mm long and oval shaped. They are covered in a white floury substance and some species may have filaments attached to the end of their bodies. They often form colonies and produce quite large amounts of white fluffy material which camouflages them.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Stationary, white insects clustered in leaf axils along the stem. They may occur singly or in colonies. When in colonies, they produce a cotton wool- like substance.Sciarid Fly (Fungus Gnat; Mushroom Fly). Small (2mm) black flies with transparent wings. They are usually found on the surface of the medium. The larvae (maggots) are tiny (1mm) and worm like, with transparent bodies and black heads and are found amongst the roots. It is these larvae that do the damage. They feed on the roots and root hairs impairing the plant’s ability to absorb nutrients and water. There is some evidence that they also carry the fungal diseases Pythium & Chalara. In severe cases, they kill the plant. They are especially common in organic media, such as cocopeat but are also found in other systems. They occur anywhere that conditions are right for them. They require plenty of moisture and a food source such as algae, roots, or any organic plant material.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Small black flies walking around the surface of the medium. They will fly when disturbed. If you suspect damage, look for the larvae amongst the roots. These larvae are tiny but conspicuous. They have clear white or yellow bodies and black heads. Plant symptoms are generally those of various nutrient deficiencies.
Canadian Xpress NILNAT is a non toxic and very effective Fungus Gnat control.Springtails. Small (0.5mm) grey to black insects which jump like fleas when disturbed. They occasionally attack roots and stems but are not usually a serious pest.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Rafts of the charcoal grey insects floating in the nutrient solution.Root Aphids and Root Mealybugs. These are similar to their counterparts that attack the leaves and stems but these ones attack the roots. Not a common pest but can cause serious damage once established.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR: The appearance of very small, immobile black, green or white attachments to the plant roots.Thrips. Small, light to dark tan to almost black, fast moving, elongated insects, 1mm-3mm long as adults, smaller as juveniles. They tend to congregate on the undersides of the leaves but can be found anywhere on the plant. They cause damage by rasping the leaf surface and drinking the sap that exudes from the damaged surface. This destroys the leaf pigments and appears as a silvery or translucent patch on the leaf.
