What is infesting my Cascade Hops? Pictures

larrybrewer · 07-15-2011, 06:56 PM

Here are some snaps of my Cascade plant. In the same spot I have five other very healthy hops plants (Magnum, Nugget, Hallertau and Goldings). Last year same thing happened about 3 days before I was going to harvest the cones on this plant only. It looked like a bunch of black little mites in the cones. This year the little buggers are way ahead of schedule.

The leaves are wilting and covered in sticky cobwebs.

What bug is this? Why only Cascade? How to treat it?

damdaman · 07-15-2011, 07:54 PM

That picture looks like a lady bug larva. It's extremely beneficial, leave him be! He'll eat literally dozens of aphids and other small pests a day.

Your other problem is probably spider mites. Not sure if lady bugs eat spider mites, but they might.

on edit: google search says that yes, lady bugs and their larva eat spider mites and their eggs. Look for more of those guys, as well as adults and little clusters of tiny pin-shaped orange-ish eggs (these are lady bugs eggs).

larrybrewer · 07-16-2011, 05:32 AM

Me: Spider Mites - oh no its the MF'ing BORG! RED ALERT... ALL HANDS TO BATTLE STATIONS!

Borg: "Resistance is futile... You will be assimilated."

Q: They have identified your hops as something they can 'consume'.

Me: Borg Vessel, this is Cpt. Brewer of the USS Cascade, you have committed acts of aggression against our hops field. We are prepared to use heavy duty chemicals to eradicate your sorry asses. You feel lucky, punk? *cocks hammer*

Found this on dealing with Spider Mites:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f92/spider-mites-182990/

Looks like I have quite a battle ahead.

I'm going to start by removing the infested parts, and spraying with an alcohol solution ever 2-3 days.

**unionrdr** · 07-17-2011, 06:44 PM

At our old house,I had a lot of aphids & red spider mites. Tons of them. I went to the local garden center (Pandy's) & bought a small box of lady bugs. A few hundred,I think. You can buy them in larger quantities as well. But I put them on my roses,pepper plants,& whatever was infested,& they just gorged them selves.
And of course,were fruitful & multiplied as well. Only cost me a small amount,like $5-10 bucks then.
This year,it's not so much the Japanese beetles,but these black Pearle & orange striped ones.