Help help help some1
- Thread starter X4SMOKER
- Start date
wilsoncr17
Well-Known Member
Yeah but it'll eat your plants too. It will also eventually leave or die. Just by some neem oil.
SableZen
Well-Known Member
Just wanted to clarify something: Mantis don't eat plants - they are strictly carnivorous and are considered beneficial predators. I loved seeing them around my outdoor plants because they would destroy caterpillars and most anything that would harm a plant. Plus they are bad-ass looking and cool to watch.
But wilsoncr17 is right, they don't stick around long once they've eaten all the insects that are around and they have to move on to other hunting grounds... and would probably just die indoors. Spider mites are a bit on the small side for them in any case (unless it's a really small mantis). I'd second the vote for neem oil treatment...
Or if you have more money to throw at it or just want to wage biological warfare against the little effers you can order predatory mites:
"Phytoseiulus persimilis is referred to by the Cornell University Extension office as “ one of the mainstays of greenhouse integrated pest management.” The great thing about this species of mite is that it cleans up after itself once the spider mite population is gone—cannibalizing on each other, thus decimating their own populations.
But wilsoncr17 is right, they don't stick around long once they've eaten all the insects that are around and they have to move on to other hunting grounds... and would probably just die indoors. Spider mites are a bit on the small side for them in any case (unless it's a really small mantis). I'd second the vote for neem oil treatment...
Or if you have more money to throw at it or just want to wage biological warfare against the little effers you can order predatory mites:
"Phytoseiulus persimilis is referred to by the Cornell University Extension office as “ one of the mainstays of greenhouse integrated pest management.” The great thing about this species of mite is that it cleans up after itself once the spider mite population is gone—cannibalizing on each other, thus decimating their own populations.
Metaseiulus occidentalis is another common predatory mite used to kill spider mites. It is an effective biological control only if temperatures are on average between 44 degrees and 89 degrees Fahrenheit.
Phytoseiulus longpipes is essentially a variant of the Phytoseiulus persimilis mite brought in from Africa which can stand warmer ambient temperatures than its North American cousins. Longpipes is seeing a gain in popularity among gardeners who would rather deploy a biological spider mite control agent than a chemical or physical control."
del66666
Well-Known Member
get 100 percent cold pressed neem, 1 teaspooon 2 litres water and a few drops of dish soap, mix well, spray whole plant, important to get under leaves, keep out of strong light and heat for 12 hours, repeat at 4 or 5 days intervals then once a week when you think they are gone
