Topic: Message #402795

[46&2]

Well have you made sure that the mites are really mites? Make sure they arent aphids, because if they are aphids then the ants are protecting them. Many ant species "herd" aphids like cattle and "milk" them for hondew they produce. If they are actually attacking the mites, then you have nature to thank.

If they are mites, how big are they? Large, small, near microscopic? There are various solutions. Here are some in terms of natural pests (best way to go):

PEST: Spider mites.

CONTROL: Spider mites can be controlled by Stethorus punctillum , a type of tiny ladybug that eats both eggs and newly hatched spider mites. Each bug eats about 40 mites a day as well as many eggs. About 100 bugs are needed to start a healthy colony. Cost is about $67.

SOURCE: Nature's Control, POB 35, Medford, OR 97501. 541-899-8318.

Likewise ladybugs and praying mantids are great, cheap bio-pest control. Although mantids usualy only pray on small mites and aphids in their first month or two after hatching, after that they go after larger prey. I have also used Dyna-Gro Neem Oil to control mites in the past. It has quite a few different uses such as bio-pest control, plant health and disease prevention. it is very beneficial for pest control and plant health when used as a supplement when watering. You can find it at any gardening store, usualy hydroponic and gardening specific stores carry the best selection. I prefer Dyna-Gro Neem Oil but there are many brands out there. Here is wikipedia's little blurb on neem oil:

Neem oil is not used for cooking purposes but, in India and Bangladesh, it is used for preparing cosmetics (soap, hair products, body hygiene creams, hand creams) and in Ayurvedic, Unani and folklore traditional medicine, in the treatment of a wide range of afflictions. The most frequently reported indications in ancient Ayurvedic writings are skin diseases, inflammations and fevers, and more recently rheumatic disorders, insect repellent and insecticide effects.
Traditional Ayurvedic uses of neem include the treatment of fever, leprosy, malaria, ophthalmia and tuberculosis. Various folk remedies for neem include use as an anthelmintic, antifeedant, antiseptic, diuretic, emmenagogue, contraceptive, febrifuge, parasiticide, pediculocide and insecticide. It has been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of tetanus, urticaria, eczema, scrofula and erysipelas. Traditional routes of administration of neem extracts included oral, girl thingyl and topical use. Neem oil has an extensive history of human use in India and surrounding regions for a variety of therapeutic purposes. Puri (1999) has given an account of traditional uses and therapeutic indications and pharmacological studies of this oil, in his book on neem.
Formulations made of Neem oil also find wide usage as a bio-pesticide for organic farming, as it repels a wide variety of pests including the mealy bug, beet armyworm, aphids, the cabbage worm, nematodes and the Japanese beetle. Neem Oil is non-toxic to mammals and birds as well as many beneficial insects such as honeybees and ladybugs. It can be used as a household pesticide for ant, bedbug, thingyroach, housefly, sand fly, snail, termite and mosquitoes both as repellent and larvicide (Puri 1999). Neem oil also controls black spot, powdery mildew, anthracnose and rust (fungus).
For use as a bio-pesticide, pure Neem oil should be diluted at the rate of 1 teaspoon per quart or 4 teaspoons per gallon of water. Adding a surfactant greatly enhances its effectiveness. It can also be used as a cure for Static Lice in Cavies (Guinea Pigs).

Hope this helps.