Two Spotted Spider Mite

Controlling pests of bamboo

Moderator: needmore

Post Reply
Island Bamboo
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2008 12:31 am
Location info: 0
Location: Beautiful Vancouver Island, British Columbia CANADA

Two Spotted Spider Mite

Post by Island Bamboo »

I live on Vancouver Island, BC and have a small bamboo nursery/hobby. I am having a heck of a time ridding my bamboo of the spotted and damaged leaves due to the attacks of the two spotted spider mite. I really have too many plants to turn each one upside down and spray regularly with insecticidal soap. I regularly remove damaged leaves and the eggs they contain, place them in a plastic bag and throw them out in the garbage but they continue to proliferate.

I spoke to a bamboo nursery in Washington State and they use an insecticide called "Marathon Granular Insecticide". This product is sprinkled on the soil of each plant and lasts about 3 months. Any piercing or juice sucking mite will die as the plant absorbs the insecticide over the 3 month period. Unfortunately here in Canada this product is not available. I have purchased some predator mites [i]persimillis [/i](I think) but I'm not too confident that this will work either.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to control these mites here in Canada?

Thanks
User avatar
foxd
Posts: 3221
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2005 7:30 pm
Location info: 21
Bamboo Society Membership: ABS - America
Location: Zone 5b/6a Bloomington, INElevation: 770-790 feet

RE: Two Spotted Spider Mite

Post by foxd »

Are there any systemic insecticides available in Canada? Judging from your description, "Marathon Granular Insecticide" is one type of systemic insecticide, there are others that work in a similar manner. To me they make a lot more sense than spraying and hoping you get all the bugs.
Southern Indiana.
My Bamboo List.

The legal issues that will arise when the undead walk the earth are legion, and addressing them all is well beyond what could reasonably be accomplished in this brief Essay. Indeed, a complete treatment of the tax issues alone would require several volumes.
Bamboo Outlaw
Posts: 484
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 12:27 pm
Location info: 0
Location: We are less than one hour south of downtown Houston. We are located in Wild Peach, Texas located half way between Brazoria and West Columbia. Exit hwy 36 onto County Road 354. Take County Road 353 west . Go approximately 2.4 miles. We are on the left.
Contact:

RE: Two Spotted Spider Mite

Post by Bamboo Outlaw »

Do a Google search for the active ingredient. See if that formulation is not available or the active ingredient is not. There are many products that contain this and many are cheaper than Marathon. The 75WP or 75WSP are usually cheapest.
Steve Carter
Carter Bamboo
http://www.carterbamboo.com

cell (979)665-1897
Brazoria, Texas
User avatar
shuboo
Posts: 99
Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:20 am
Location info: 0
Location: Lithia Florida

RE: Two Spotted Spider Mite

Post by shuboo »

Roy suggested Bayer tree and shrub systemic. I used it and had all kinds of nutty little critters popping out of my soil. I have/had a problem with scale and mealies on a few of my plants. It won't work over night but judging by the harmless dead bugs I found, i think the stuff works on the harmful ones as well. Not cheap either though. I think it can be purchased online. Plus, it works for 12 months so the price is sort of justified.
-shu
Island Bamboo
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2008 12:31 am
Location info: 0
Location: Beautiful Vancouver Island, British Columbia CANADA

RE: Two Spotted Spider Mite

Post by Island Bamboo »

Thanks for your suggestions. I called a bamboo grower in Washington State and again asked more questions and he said if he could pick one insecticide it would be Merit. The active ingredient in Merit is the same as in Marathon and that is a chemical called "Imidacloprid". It appears that there are 2 versions: a commercial product called Merit Insecticide and another for the homeowner called Bayer Advanced - both contain Imidacloprid. Most of the nurseries I've called only carry the Bayer Advanced but it does contain Imidacloprid.

I called another bamboo nursery in Oregon and they do spoke confidently of Merit but they also advised using other controls in a rotation format. I think I'll try the Merit. I recently had a new 12 ft shoot of P. Nigra come up and within about 3 weeks the new leaves were already infested with mites and discolored - not a happy camper grrrr......
User avatar
shuboo
Posts: 99
Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:20 am
Location info: 0
Location: Lithia Florida

RE: Two Spotted Spider Mite

Post by shuboo »

You can also find it in the garden section of Wal-Mart and/or K-mart as well. It's around $20 per bottle.
-shu
GrowingHabit
Posts: 237
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 2:41 am
Location info: 0
Location: Lower left corner of Oregon

RE: Two Spotted Spider Mite

Post by GrowingHabit »

If anyone is thinking maybe they should get a bottle of this stuff- I'd suggest you get it now. I went to purchase some yesterday, and needed more than she had out on the shelf. She had just gotten a shipment, and when she upacked the invoice, she was so shocked at the price it came in at that she called the wholesaler before I bought it, to make sure there wasn't a mistake.

All the brands- Bayer, Merit, Fertiloam- whatever you like- its doubled in price. The active ingredient has skyrocketed all of a sudden.
User avatar
rfgpitt
Posts: 1021
Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2005 3:28 am
Location info: 24
Location: Zone 6a - SW of Pittsburgh - 15317

RE: Two Spotted Spider Mite

Post by rfgpitt »

GrowingHabit,
Hope you didn't pay that much......
Bayer @ Lowes

Oh, and I just remembered the title of this thread and found this:
Merit desc.
Eliminates virtually all major pests with the exception of spider mites.
Rick
Island Bamboo
Posts: 6
Joined: Wed Jul 30, 2008 12:31 am
Location info: 0
Location: Beautiful Vancouver Island, British Columbia CANADA

RE: Two Spotted Spider Mite

Post by Island Bamboo »

Well now I'm really confused. On one hand I have spoken to 2 different bamboo nurseries and they tell me that they use Merit in conjunction with other pesticides and it does/will control spider mites. On the other hand I read the brief overview Lowe's gives its Merit product and it clearly states that it doesn't control spider mites. I also phoned a toll free number for the Merit product and they told me that they can't claim it will control spider mites but that it may also do a good job.

Clear as mud now.....maybe I'll call someone from the dept. of agriculture and see what they say. I'm not too sure now....
ghmerrill
Posts: 1873
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 12:20 am
Location info: 26
Location: Kerby, OR
Contact:

RE: Two Spotted Spider Mite

Post by ghmerrill »

I have used the bayer product on boos with spider mites on 3 different occasions, all different plants, and it worked fine. I think where the haze is on the claim, is that they have to test and have proof that the product will kill that particular insect, and that means more testing, and more money, which they may not see as important if they have already tested against most common pests. I would get it and use it, it is a great product.

Gene
GrowingHabit
Posts: 237
Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 2:41 am
Location info: 0
Location: Lower left corner of Oregon

RE: Two Spotted Spider Mite

Post by GrowingHabit »

Rick- thanks for the link! We've got a Lowe's, but its a tad too far away to drop in and price check. Will do so now! Most places around here sell Bayer for around $25. My nursery charged $13 for Fertilome, before the price hike between shipments. I just dosed 10 English Elms, averaging 25 ounces apiece. Bad case of scale this year. Definitely looking for the best price.

edit: I should make clear that the wholesaler said the active ingredient has doubled on the production end. I don't know what the retail will do, but am guessing its not going to be advantageous to put off a purchase if old stock with the previous price is still on the shelves.
User avatar
rfgpitt
Posts: 1021
Joined: Thu Sep 22, 2005 3:28 am
Location info: 24
Location: Zone 6a - SW of Pittsburgh - 15317

RE: Two Spotted Spider Mite

Post by rfgpitt »

As with most concentrated home owner / over-the-counter type products (weed killer), I normally increase the ratio quite a bit. With this stuff (Imidacloprid) though, I would shy on the side of caution. Not worth hunting down Merit and making a super strong solution that turns ones toenails orange. If too much makes it to the soil all the beneficial critters will be toast.

Probably not ideal to use if you feed bamboo to livestock or offer fresh cuttings to the zoo. What do people who do feed the pandas use to keep insect outbreaks in check? -hope this isn't considered hijacking your thread Island Bamboo, but merely expanding on your original question.
Rick
User avatar
svendrix
Posts: 287
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2007 7:25 pm
Location info: 25
Location: White Salmon, WA USA

USDA Zone 6B (possibly 7A/7B/8A depending on who you ask around here, so I am sticking with the most conservative estimate for now)

Elevation 700 feet
Constant winds (10-20 MPH)

RE: Two Spotted Spider Mite

Post by svendrix »

I have no experience with any of these products, or spider mites in general, but happened across this link to "safe" ways to get rid of spider mites, and one method they mention is to buy and release ladybugs, as the author claims they LOVE eating spider mites.

http://www.ehelpfultips.com/eco_friendl ... rid_of.htm

Not sure how many you'd have to buy for your situation? They also mention some other "safe" insecticides you can try.

---svendrix
fasttruck
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 8:24 pm
Location info: 0
Location: plant city

RE: Two Spotted Spider Mite

Post by fasttruck »

avid is the best way to send the mites back to whence they came...not cheap but an 8 ounce bottle will outlast all of us
Post Reply