Definitely looks like a mite infestation. You need to look at the leaf under a magnifier. Especially look at the underside of the leaf. Besides looking for the mite itself, look for it's feces which will look like small black dust specks even under the magnifier. If you look for the feces too, then you can determine if you have a pest problem even if you don't happen to spot the critter itself. Judging by the condition of the plant in the picture, I would think it will be pretty easy to find one of the critters themselves.
Here is some info that might help.
Broad Mites or Russet Mites
by Nebula Haze
Broad mites and
hemp russet mites on your cannabis leaves are so tiny they are practically impossible to spot with the naked eye, and still very difficult to see under a microscope. Broad mites are more common than hemp russet mites but the symptoms and treatment are pretty much the same for both.
With broad mites or russet mites the new growth may be twisted, blistered and "wet" looking. If your plant is flowering the buds may turn brown and die. These broad mite damage pics were taken by
Hosttrevor (thank you!).
The main way to spot an infestation is the damage they leave behind because usually the mites themselves are too small to see. They like to hang out inside crevices of leaves and in your buds themselves, and lay eggs inside the plant so you don't see them.
Sometimes the symptoms can be confused for
tobacco mosaic virus. Leaf symptoms from broad or russet mites are also commonly misdiagnosed as
overwatering, a
nutrient deficiency or
heat damage.
One of the biggest reasons broad mites and russet mites can be so difficult to diagnose is you rarely see any signs of bugs, and you don't see bites on the leaves. For many people, they don't even realize a bug infestation is happening.
Sometimes top leaves droop. In this pic you can see that part of the droopy leaves are getting that blistered, wet appearance from broad mites.
Sometimes one of the main symptoms is the newest growth is coming in twisted
The following marijuana plant has been treated for broad mites and is starting to recover. You can see the newest growth looks matte and healthy, while the damaged leaves from before still look glossy and blistered.
It's great if your plant is starting to look healthy again, but even if your plant appears to be recovering, don't stop on weekly treatments for at least a few weeks. The broad mites could still be there waiting to take over the plant again! They are the masters of hiding and waiting.
Unfortunately, broad mites are probably one of the hardest marijuana pests to get rid of. They lay their eggs
inside the plant which makes it very difficult to kill their eggs!
Video of an extreme closeup showing broad mites on a cannabis plant
Ewwww! Learn how to get rid of broad and russet mites for good!
Solution: How to Get Rid of Broad Mites On Cannabis
Once you've actually identified that the bugs you have on your cannabis are broad mites, it's time to get rid of them! When it comes to broad or russet mites, a lot of the "standard" miticides are not as effective and you'll notice these particular mites aren't listed on the labels.
Broad mites can be one of the toughest marijuana pests to get rid of, but it can be done if you stay vigilant!
- Treat often - You may have to treat several times a week or even daily if you have a terrible infestation that won't go away. This can be very difficult on your plants.
- Spray Before Lights Go Out - Whenever treating plants with a spray, do it before the lights go off so that your plant is less likely to get burned!
- Read Instructions - Make sure to read the full instructions of each bottle and follow them when treating your plants. You will save yourself a lot of big headaches!
- Repeat treatments weeky for 5 more weeks after mites are gone - After you think broad or russet mites are completely gone, don't stop! Treat your plant with a different treatment at least once a week for 5 additional weeks. If you don't completely erradicate them they'll come back with a vengence and be even more resistant to whatever you throw at them.
1.) Neem Oil
Neem Oil will leave an unpleasant taste/smell on buds when used to treat flowering plants, so again, don't let this stuff get near your buds! There's also some evidence Neem oil may be
harmful to humans so use with care! That being said, Neem oil is an all-natural remedy that is very effective against many different types of bugs and mold, including broad mites.
Neem oil can be rough on your plants so you don't want to use it more often than you have to because your plants
will suffer. However, if you get desparate treating plants
daily with Neem oil is very effective at killing broad mites when nothing seems to be working.
You will need a
mister (also called a "One-Hand Pressure Sprayer") to spray all the leaves evenly, since neem oil and water can separate easily.
