Tiny Insect ID

14 years ago

Hello,

I have a huge infestation in my raised beds of these little insects and I have no idea what they are. They were introduced from some drip emitters I bought at a local nursery. When I put my drip irrigation system together and flushed the system with water, all these tiny insects streamed out of the emitters.

Now I probably have millions of them in my beds. They don't climb on my seedlings and none of the seedlings have died as a result of these things but I'M creeped out. What are they? How can I get rid of them? I've sprayed organic sprays that kill them but more come back in only a few minutes. I've mulched only a few areas in my beds and so far they like staying in the mulch and they like to stay on the drip irrigation hoses. In the morning the hose is just speckled with brown, there's so many sleeping bugs on them.

Please help! My skin is crawling just writing this!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

Kimmsr
14 years ago
Have you asked at your counties office of your University of California Cooperative Extension Service?

Here is a link that might be useful: UC CES
webkat555
14 years ago
Are they growing in size? Or does this seem to be their adult stage?
I bet the place where you purchased your emitters knows what they are....doubt that would have been the first time they had seen those...
Related Professionals
Bartlesville Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Victoria Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Selma Landscape Contractors · Belleville Landscape Contractors · McComb Landscape Contractors · Austin Landscape Contractors · Harrisonburg Landscape Contractors · Portsmouth Landscape Contractors · Harrisburg Landscape Contractors · Carson City Landscape Contractors · Wilmington Kitchen Remodelers · Plainfield Kitchen Remodelers · Middletown Kitchen Remodelers · Lubbock Kitchen Remodelers · Everett Kitchen Remodelers
webkat555
14 years ago
Would you be able to take a macro shot (very close up) to gather more info about the appearance of these guys?
PaigeJessica
Original Author
14 years ago
Hello! Thank you for replying!

@kimmsr I haven't asked my county office. I'll look mine up and email them.

@webkat they are not growing in size. They are reproducing like mad so I am thinking all the small ones I see are mature. I'll ask the local nursery next time I'm there.

All I have for pics is an iphone so it doesn't have a macro function already on it, but I'll see if there's an app I can buy or a cheap lens I can pick up. It's so hard getting a picture of these little things.
jean001a
14 years ago
Do they jump? If so, likely springtails.
PaigeJessica
Original Author
14 years ago
They don't jump :( They just crawl around on their little drip irrigation highway. Up close I THINK they have 6 legs. I thought they might be mites of some sort but looking up mites and garden in google gives me results of mites that destroy vegetation...these things aren't interested in anything green. I have seen some red mites attacking them but the red mites are vastly outnumbered.

I read on google I can put a drop of water on the lens of my iphone camera to turn it into a temporary macro lens. I'll try it this evening.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
14 years ago
There are mites that don't feed on plants. Can't wait to see your image!