Help with tiny orange bugs?

9 years ago

Hi, I haven't posted in a while but still here. My young citrus have all survived the NY winter in their greenhouse, thank G-d. But over the past few weeks Ive noticed these tiny - almost microscopic but visible with the naked eye - orange colored bugs moving around the top of the trees. Im not sure they are causing damage and there don't seem to be that many of them but they are sure persistent! Not wanting to use anything foreign if i don't have to, Ive basically been spraying with a spritz bottle on a hard line stream at them. I spray wherever i seem them and then under the sides of the top leaves. Afterwards i see no more sign of them but the next day they're all back! I also tried releasing ladybugs in the greenhouse but they all disappeared within a few days.

Anyone know what these are, if i need to worry about them, and if so how to get them to go away?

thanks!

Featured Answer

myermike_1micha

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

I too am VERY IMPRESSED with the picture of the bugs that I can only see with a magnifying glass, especially the red mites! What did you use..?

Silica is right..If you spray your trees often enough with water, it can dislodge some and break the breeding cycle of mites over time...Then too Oils will smother them instantly..

In the rooms that I have where I consistently spray water on my trees and have fans blowing towards the bottom of the leaves, I have never had a mite issue..

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Comments (14)

Amanda Tyner
9 years ago
Looks like spider mites to me! I would get some miticide.
Vladimir (Zone 5b Massachusetts)
9 years ago
I would spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap, which are pretty much non-toxic to people. Repeat every week until until you don't see them anymore. Get a magnifying glass and check often.
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Sammers510
9 years ago
I have no answer as to what these lil buggers are but I am seriously impressed with the photo quality. What did you use to take the pictures?
Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
9 years ago
I have never seen anyone post such great photos of spider mites before! Well done!
atara berliner
Original Author
9 years ago
thanks for the replies, I will give Vladimir's recommendation a try i guess. I was thinking spider mites but no article about them that I came across mentioned the vivid orange coloring.

As for the camera - i shot them with an olympus tg-4 . Funny thing is, I hate the camera - I think it takes lousy regular shots. But for the bugs i used the microscope setting which seems to have gotten decent close ups.
Amanda Tyner
9 years ago
This what I use. It knocks everything out on all my various plants.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Garden-Safe-Fungicide-RTU-24-oz/17126897?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222227019300290&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=t&wl3=52596355871&wl4=pla-84477444551&wl5=9016116&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=17126897&wl13=&veh=sem

its an insecticide and miticide. I have to be careful of what I use because of my kids.
Amanda Tyner
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
It's a neem oil mix.
Silica
9 years ago
I rarely ever apply anything other than spraying the tree down with water a couple times to rid the trees of spider mites. On the rare occasion I might use a horticultural oil. Spider mites like it warm and dry - water sprays works as good as anything.
Vladimir (Zone 5b Massachusetts)
9 years ago
Water does not kill. Neem does.
johnmerr
9 years ago
Mites like dry and dirty (dusty) conditions; keeping citrus trees clean goes a long way in controlling mites... okay, it doesn't kill them; but it makes them look for a new home.
hibiscus909
9 years ago
Yes, spider mites sure are persistent. You will have to be moreso. I think water and misting is good for prevention, but once they get a population going, you may have to resort to other means for control.

And I, too, am very impressed with the quality of those photos!
atara berliner
Original Author
9 years ago
Well on friday I sprayed all the trees in the greenhouse with neem oil - literally doused them all over - and this morning i noticed one of the mites moving around on the top of one of the trees again! After a quick inspection of all ten trees that was the only one that caught my eye. Should i spray again right away, or give it a few days before spraying again? Also, should i only re-spray the tree where the mites are visible or spray all of them again? Any advice from those with experience would be super helpful. Thanks
Amanda Tyner
9 years ago
You can spray every 3 days. Cover them all, there are still eggs that need to be killed. There is a hatching cycle, and you have to keep spraying to kill the population. Make sure the area around the trees is cleaned as well to kill any stragglers. Just mop it and clean any drain trays.