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Pembroke, Ma

I have some really small flea looking bugs showing up on my pumpkin. Not sure where they came from or what they are. They have a red tint to them. Any ideas?

8/19/2010 2:05:14 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

Spider mites?

8/19/2010 2:09:32 PM

British Columbia, Canada

Definitely spider mites. I had the too, you need to spray for them, it's the only way to kill them. If you don't, they ravage and kill your entire plant in just a couple of weeks.

First signs of them will be yellowing around the leaves, then the yellow will turn brown and the leaf will soon die. Also check the bottem of some leaves, if there is damage that almost looks like spider webs then you may be too late. It's a sign of a severely infested plant.

Don't wait, spray for them now. Your local garden store should sell sprays for them.

-Jordan.

8/19/2010 2:19:35 PM

Pembroke, Ma

Will the hurt the pumpkin its self? I'm cutting it on Sat morn.

8/19/2010 2:24:48 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

I don't think so. I have only heard of them on leaves.

Does neem oil work for them? I have heard traditional insecticides make them worse as it kills their natural predators, but does not affect the mites themselves.

8/19/2010 3:30:23 PM

Pembroke, Ma

I used neem oil and it doesnt seem to slow them. I sprayed the pumpkin itself with neem oil and they still are walking on it.

8/19/2010 4:14:19 PM

milford, CT,

I had aphids and spider mites BAD!!! Millions..maybe billions!!! Sprayed Merit once and Neam 2 times using my backpack sprayer... 4 days apart...No More Mites and Aphids...
They can explode in numbers if not taken care of quickly..

8/19/2010 6:50:43 PM

Minnesota

Atta boy Milford.. Nothing beats the backpack sprayer !

8/20/2010 3:52:05 PM

Navarre,OH

I had this problem pretty bad and still kind of do. I didn't know what they were at first and found out they were flea beetles. Little tiny black beetles that hop around when you come close to them. They can strip a young plant but if the plant is older even an infestation of flea beetles shouldn't do that much damage. I used neem and it got rid of them pretty good.

8/22/2010 6:44:52 AM

Santa Ynez California

I hate to tell you where to get the best stuff to get rid of them but spider mites are the most predominate pests for indoor pot growers. Hydroponics shops will have best stuff for killing them as they have to - they will also have the most high tech fertilizers and soils - thats been my secret for last couple years - getting the really good soils and fertilizers hahahaha. Such big money in that industry they can't afford to have pests. Lady bugs also work quite well and can be purchased in most large hardware and nursery stores in bulk for very cheap. Release lady bugs in morning so they stick around and don't fly off or better yet mist the lady bugs with any variety of soda as it makes their wings sticky and they can't fly off for a few days but eventually they can. They are very prolific and in a few days the lady bugs will have laid tons of eggs too and their larva kill these also and the aphids too.

8/22/2010 12:26:11 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Could be European Red Mites so check the label carefully to be sure they're listed by name.

8/22/2010 1:37:49 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

LOL Estaban, I was googling "spider mite control" at work and the next thing I know I am on a site for growing weed. I got off it real quick hoping not to get canned.

8/22/2010 3:48:45 PM

Ct

I had insane amounts of aphids this year. I sprayed with eight, sevin several times but they kept coming back tenfold. They were concentrated on my pepper leaves. If I walked through the pepper patch I'd get dozens of aphids clinging to me all over the place.

8/22/2010 7:48:17 PM

Santa Ynez California

hahahahaha. As I say hydroponics shops seem to have most high tech stuff for growing anything that is available and i have found they are so happy to talk about something that isn't their normal customers' trade they get really into helping you as it is something new and interesting for them - a challenge hahaha. Steve

8/23/2010 12:02:32 PM