Help with pests/holes in plants

Hi guys,

Bare with me as this might be somewhat long. I just want to be clear about the whole situation first, because some people on another website jumped on my question with so many recipes and "facts" on what it is, and it wasn't necessarily helpful.
So far so great. My babies are much bigger now and looking very vibrant and healthy.
However about a week ago there were white areas on my plants. Also lots of tiny tiny black dots which I initially thought were bugs but since it didn't seem to be moving, it may have been poo. After reading up I was convinced they were spidermites and ended up ordering neem oil. Before that I ordered a Cannacure spray (which I saw after had pretty bad reviews), but used it anyway.
I took some pictures from that week and will post them here just to show how it started. Although I didn't see any spidermites with my physical eye when checking, on one picture something brown looks to be a spidermite. But again, it could have been anything.
Anyway, I ended up spraying underneath and on top with water while waiting for the neem oil to arrive. But by the time it came there seemed to be absolutely nothing on my plants anymore. I decided I may have been overthinking and rushing into things since this is my first grow. Never ended up using the neem oil, but I will be tonight.
Now today I went to check on them again and I saw quite a bit more damage on a few leaves (this is about a week later). I know what you're thinking, eggs have hatched and they're munching away. BUT I checked for eggs beforehand and I saw nothing. I still see nothing. I've ordered a magnifying glass to be more sure of myself though. This time it's holes. Still some white spots on some leaves but now mainly full-on holes. On one specific leaf there were loads of holes so I checked underneath and I found a maggot-coloured, tiny long (ish) worm-like thing. Killed it and it fell into the soil where I unfortunately couldn't find it again. I wish I had taken a picture before my desire to kill the bastard took over.
I will say there isn't much damage on the top leaves at all, most of it is all at the bottom.

Do you have any clue what it may be? Do you think it started with a single spidermite which I luckily got rid of in time, and now it's something different. Or do you think this is all one doing?
I'm spraying neem oil tonight anyway in hopes that possible eggs or things I can't see go to hell

Thanks in advance guys!
I appreciate anyone giving me methods to destroy them by the way, it's just that I can't reach most things fast right now with living in the countryside. I mainly want to figure out what it is first, and go from there. I can't find the worm-like thing I described on google so I retreated here.

(On the third picture there seems to be a bug but I took it off with my hand and checked, and I think it's just a bit from the soil mix)

Did you look up thrip larvae and or damage. I suspect you may find the info you seek starting there. Soapy water knocks the shit out of them. I know you got that right now. If its not them , I hope you find your issue.

I did actually. And I'm sure that's what the little maggot-like thing was as it's the only close thing I can find.
However that doesn't explain the holes in my plants as thrips don't do that.
Thanks a bunch man. I'll use soapy water as well as some neem oil.

Doesn't really look like anything to worry about.

Don't use neem in flower. It will ruin the bud. It taste bad when burned.

Spinosad is good for all leaf eating pest.

Okay, thank you
Will keep my eye out anyway. I just sprayed some neem on them tonight so hopefully I don't see more holes and leaf drainage tomorrow.
They're no where near flowering luckily.

Unfortunately that's most likely American stuff and eBay or Amazon doesn't have it. But if the issue gets worse I will buy another type of spinosad.

Thanks for the info!

One word of advice, change your location,

Second get bio bizz leaf coat and some lady birds, they will munch on all the critters. Leaf coat will protect your leaves but won't eradicate your pest problem. The lady bugs will.

That's will solve your spider mite problem.


To deal with gnats there the flying things which lay seeds and they eat your root system. Always let the soil dry out completely. Use a product called biosys ecothrive. They should protect your roots from alphids and gnat, but drying out your root system is the est way before each watering its to keep it all healthy.

From looking at your photos your doing a bio bizz soil grow.

Pm me, I'll help you all the way through it. Don't get confused I'm here know lol




If you use yellow traps, the lady birds will stick onto them.

Hi crazii said:

One word of advice, change your location,

Second get bio bizz leaf coat and some lady birds, they will munch on all the critters. Leaf coat will protect your leaves but won't eradicate your pest problem. The lady bugs will.

That's will solve your spider mite problem.


To deal with gnats there the flying things which lay seeds and they eat your root system. Always let the soil dry out completely. Use a product called biosys ecothrive. They should protect your roots from alphids and gnat, but drying out your root system is the est way before each watering its to keep it all healthy.

From looking at your photos your doing a bio bizz soil grow.

Pm me, I'll help you all the way through it. Don't get confused I'm here know lol




If you use yellow traps, the lady birds will stick onto them.

Click to expand...

Fuck neem oil bloody smelly shit, makes everything greasy, if you don't use it properly it will make things worser.

Hi crazii said:

One word of advice, change your location,

Second get bio bizz leaf coat and some lady birds, they will munch on all the critters. Leaf coat will protect your leaves but won't eradicate your pest problem. The lady bugs will.

That's will solve your spider mite problem.


To deal with gnats there the flying things which lay seeds and they eat your root system. Always let the soil dry out completely. Use a product called biosys ecothrive. They should protect your roots from alphids and gnat, but drying out your root system is the est way before each watering its to keep it all healthy.

From looking at your photos your doing a bio bizz soil grow.

Pm me, I'll help you all the way through it. Don't get confused I'm here know lol




If you use yellow traps, the lady birds will stick onto them.

Click to expand...

I actually did change my location just 2 days ago, but if you were to see my garden you'll realise it's basically all the same. It's one large bit of land and there is only one spot where the greenhouse will receive 6-8 hours of direct sun so I kinda gotta keep it where it currently is. Remember I'm in an illegal country too so I can't exactly put it wherever I please.

I don't have any money for any products right now either. And so far you've given me 3, haha. I haven't got a full time job man so I can't be spending everything I have on products for my plants. I'll do what I can however. Haven't even got £20 for 25 ladybugs at the moment. Which by the way isn't sold here just anywhere apparently. I just checked and you have to order them online. Thought I'd just get it at my local pet store. If things seem to be getting worse then I'll definitely buy some. Wouldn't mind some cute ladybugs around the garden anyway.

Not sure if you read the later posts but I actually don't have spidermites. Or am 95% sure I don't anyway. They seem like thrips. Not sure where you got gnats from since I can't see fly-like creatures anywhere, but who knows at this point. I honestly feel like my plants have 2-3 different bugs poppin' in to say hi and stealing some food, hah.
I have however been keeping the top soil moist with my sprayer everytime it dries out, maybe that's not the best. I'll try to let it dry even more before watering then, thank you.

Thanks for all the help and info, I shall definitely PM you if my issue grows

Hi crazii said:

Fuck neem oil bloody smelly shit, makes everything greasy, if you don't use it properly it will make things worser.

Click to expand...

Hmmm can't agree here bro. It's smelly as fuck I'll say that , but as for it being ineffective or making things worse I can't see that being easy to do. I did a ton of research after seeing the damage to my plants and like 8/10 people successfully got rid of and are still preventing pests with neem oil. I didn't buy it to keep it in the corner, so I'll keep giving it a go and if I'm not a success story I'll move onto the next method. Tried it for the first time last night so I'll check in the morning.
Nevertheless I love and appreciate all advice and different opinions . If it was a severe spidermite infestation then 100% I'd be looking at other methods and not worrying about money, because those buggers become immune to bloody anything.

Whatever you decide on, remember, go with at least 2 options, and treat for 7-10 days solid... that way no matter which bug you gotta deal with, you get all of them, and their eggs.

If its a repeat problem, ur gonna wanna fog your grow room.... treat the disease not the symptoms...

I was always a fan of azamax followed by 2nd option. (3in1, mighty wash, wipe out, whatever) day 3 and on day 7 another azamax, day 14 another option b (or C if it seemed bad)

Old place had a lot of mite issues, new place, only seen 'em once off a clone, and I went balls out on the room, lol.... worked tho

Dont be afraid to hose the shit out of your plants with a hand sprayer, and put them in an isolation tent for a day while you go nuclear on the room itself... sometimes.... ya just gotta pull out the big guns....

A good inexpensive, organic (??), safe bug killer is White Oil. Best used at end of day.

Link shows you how to make it (Very easy), dilute it and use it.
http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s4420335.htm

A strong fan to keep them bugs at bay

KaylasKush said:

I did actually. And I'm sure that's what the little maggot-like thing was as it's the only close thing I can find.
However that doesn't explain the holes in my plants as thrips don't do that.
Thanks a bunch man. I'll use soapy water as well as some neem oil.

Click to expand...

Big Time Exterminator (BTE) is about $40 delivered to you for a quart. Small amts in watering will protect against soil gnats and worse soil aphids. As a spray it will get spider and russet mites white flies and I think other aphids. It can be used in flower and is gentle. Also good for powdery mildew. I think the secret ingredient is active yeast cultures which are very safe.

https://bigtimezyme.com/html/bigtimeexterminator.html

Peppermint and Rosemary oil and soap in video below - probably not for flower.
Lavendar oil by itself.
Clove and cedarwood oil
Cedarwood and lemongrass oil.

These essential oils only need a few drops with 32 oz of water.

Bronners Peppermint soap whiich are mainly all oils.

Cheap? 1 tbl spoon Canola oil and a drop or two of dishwashing liquid in a gallon of water and shake. Similar to White Oil mentioned above. .

Jimmy Sparkle said:

Did you look up thrip larvae and or damage. I suspect you may find the info you seek starting there. Soapy water knocks the shit out of them. I know you got that right now. If its not them , I hope you find your issue.

Click to expand...

Indeed - especially because she is not in flower yet.

Cheap cheap - $0.97 cents on the detergent aisle in wal mart and probably every grocery store. Fels Naptha soap..Al Bundy avatar guy gave me the tip on this. Alternatively you can also use more expensive castille soap.

http://www.hansenfamilyfarm.com/blog/make-your-own-non-toxic-insecticidal-spray-soap

Thanks for all the info peeps!
You guys are so nice and helpful, and it's one of the reasons I really love the cannabis community.

My plants had no further damage today. I checked thoroughly everywhere and they look as happy as ever again. I honestly think whatever it was is gone/doesn't like neem oil. Or it left even before I sprayed the stuff. I usually see normal, non threatening bugs in the greenhouse as well and throughout the day there was absolutely nothing coming into the greenhouse. Maybe that shit smells so bad no one wants to visit .
I personally think I was overthinking and reading too much on google, because that is my personality anyway.
Nevertheless I'm not going to be ignorant and assume they're gone and never coming back.
I'll look at the links and videos that were given to me and buy another 1-2 products for the future. I am in a rural area so no doubt they'll be back.

Thanks again guys

If you're outside, get some mint, basil and marigolds and keep them around your plants. They are natural insect deterrents.

Are you growing Durban?

WeedFreak78 said:

If you're outside, get some mint, basil and marigolds and keep them around your plants. They are natural insect deterrents.

Are you growing Durban?

Click to expand...

We have mint and basil but they're inside. Might take them outside then . Thanks!
Yes growing Durban Poison.

KaylasKush said:

We have mint and basil but they're inside. Might take them outside then . Thanks!
Yes growing Durban Poison.

Click to expand...

There are other too like Cilantro, dill and Lavender plus others. Search google. I think the term is companion plants.

Neem oil as pest control product has been used centuries ago by south Asian people because of its anti bacterial properties