What Caused These Eaten Areas and Black Spots on Leafs? (PIC)

need a 20X magnifier to positively identify pest. Suspect spider mite infestation. Spider mite movement is hard to visualize because they move slow. Black poop or is it a mite. Personally never had mite infestation so I am not 100% sure. Light green speckles on top of leaf, black specks. Is there webs underneath leaves. In "Bugs" forum read "Grizzly's guide to Pulverizing Pests". Mites are quick to become immune to whatever miticide they are treated with, so keep changing to different miticide each infection.

I've had spider mites before and there is no sign of them. The problem is on top of the leaf, not underneath. I sprayed the lower half of the plant with neem (don't spray the whole plant unless you really have to, spraying the whole plant stresses it too much). I'll wait a few days then also give it a soak in Azamax for an hour or two as a precaution. I only have about 7 weeks left so I want to hit it hard, but not too harsh.

those are thrips, they are a huge pain in the ass, I've been fighting them for a couple months in my growbox. they are hard to get rid of, i've had some luck dusting my plants with food grade diatomacious earth. are you growing in soil or hydro?

hydroponic

Thrips are tiny flies, the things on the leaves are larva. I'm not an expert on the subject, but I believe they spend part of their live cycle in the soil. Since your growing in hydro I think they will be easier to control. I have tried a few different sprays without any luck, but dusting everything with the diatomacious earth seems to work. I dust all my plants with a feather duster dipped in the stuff and let it sit for a few days then wash it off. seems to work pretty good. The D.E. is natural, organic and often used as an anti-caking agent in food, so it's safe. Just don't buy the stuff made for swimming pool filters, its different than the food grade stuff you can buy at the nursery. good luck.

OK, I'll try that stuff and maybe hang a pest strip in for a few days.

you have a few option but these are the best.

-for non flowering plant: 91% iso alcohol in a spray bottle, spray while in the shade, do 2x a week until their gone, the 1st application should eradicate almost all of them

another way is to buy mighty wash. it will destroy anything and its safe to use in flowering

dirtysnowball said:

you have a few option but these are the best.

-for non flowering plant: 91% iso alcohol in a spray bottle, spray while in the shade, do 2x a week until their gone, the 1st application should eradicate almost all of them

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I might do the mighty wash as well. I've had all the critters and I know to attack hard and fast. I'll skip the Azamax because it's the least safe and nobody has mentioned it as a remedy for these.

Kinda does look like thrips. I just found thrips on my plants last week and did buncha research and the only thing that will get rid of em is spinosad. Monterey garden spray contains spinosad and can be found at most garden stores. Any other product with spinosad will work. After 2 sprays I haven't seen any thrips or anymore leaf damage. Everyone that has used it says it worked well for them also. This is an organic pesticide but I still wouldn't use any later then 4th week of flower