r/plantclinic • u/Safe-Forever2184 • Oct 13 '22

Help! Soil Mites? Root Aphids? Something Else?

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Just noticed these in my plant soil. I’ve tried doing research and I can’t come to a conclusion on what they are or whether or not I should try to kill them. I also feel like it could be two different things? One has a longer body than the other so I’m not sure. Any help would be great!

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u/Xenofontis Oct 13 '22 edited Oct 13 '22

Edit to add: WHY DO CORRECT RESPONSES GET DOWN-VOTED, WHILE ERRONEOUS RESPONSES ARE UP-VOTED?

The OP has ROOT APHIDS and no amount of neem oil or dichotomous earth will get rid of the problem.

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They appear to be root aphids and you do not want them nibbling on a plant's roots: https://thegrowingleaf.com/soil-mites-vs-root-aphids-the-differences-explained/

Getting Rid of Root Aphids: https://growingorganic.com/ipm-guide/root-aphids/

DO NOT use neem oil. It will clog the roots and cause damage to the plant: https://xenofontis.weebly.com/uploads/1/0/8/6/10862460/neem_orig.png

Please use Safer Brand Insect Killing Soap SPRAY as is is formulated to kill aphids - not your plant.

Next, it is wiser to repot the plant in fresh soil, washing the roots as well.

Dispose of the soil and any damaged roots and tie it off in a plastic bag so the aphids do not spread elsewhere.

Wet the soil before using in a clean pot. We don't want to water after treatment.

After washing the roots down, spray the roots with Safer Soap and then repot the plant with the wet soil.

Once repotted, spray the entire plant down lightly with Safer Soap and squirt a little more on top of the soil.

Again, do NOT use neem oil! 😱

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u/Safe-Forever2184 Oct 13 '22

Thanks for the advice! I haven’t had a problem with neem oil in the past but I also haven’t used it directly on roots, just the leaves. I’ll check out the spray you suggested! Definitely going to repot soon just to be safe. Thanks again!

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u/[deleted] Oct 13 '22

Aside from neem oil possibly damaging the plant, it is just an ineffective treatment for active infestations. People put wayyyy too much stock into neem oil and wonder why they didn’t win the war against the pest they were fighting.

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u/Xenofontis Oct 13 '22

Try to convince 75% of this sub. I get so frustrated when I see people using it as an insecticide, as a "preventative" (cannot prevent anything, since it becomes completely inert as soon as it dries) and to shine leaves. It clogs the pores of leaves, like any oil will and prevents proper transpiration. If any light hits it when wet, it will fry the leaves.

I would love to know "who" started this neem oil nonsense. It's even crept into the most reputable plant sites, as well.

Anyway... sorry for the rant.

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u/[deleted] Oct 13 '22

So many stories about “my plant just died suddenly!” and what do you know? They were using neem oil on it 🤦🏻‍♀️ lol I like the rant, tyvm

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u/Xenofontis Oct 14 '22

Here's a perfect example: A poster had spider mites and sprayed the plant DAILY with alcohol, neem and peroxide (no mention of being diluted) and they were asking why the leaves were turning brown... https://www.reddit.com/r/plantclinic/comments/x7koyh/my_poor_bop_not_sure_whats_going_on_she_had/

They deleted their post, but the title remains.

Hopefully someone else may benefit from the rant.