mid season questions

I have 2 rhizomes in a 20 in pot on my balcony I have 2 bines on each plant growning horizontially about 8 feet each (rough start cat nipped the tips twice). First off I have a bunch of little tiny flies on the soil and lower leaves and I think its the bugs causing the white spots on the leaves. What's the best why to get rid of the bugs. Second within the last week the leaves have changed shape from heart shape to a fat three finger shape is this seasonal or a issue with the plant both rhizomes are doing it. Lastly they are staring to sprout side arms how long do these get are they just pre cone arms or are they going to start having to be trained as well.

Thanks in advance

Edit I just found a caterpillar on one and it ate half a leaf #**:£ @-:#!?.$ -,/ thing help please!!!

I use a Pyrethrin spay. It kills most insects that attack hops and degrades very quickly (in just a few hours).

I've recently noticed the sidearms on my first year Mt. Hoods, and from what I've read on here they are just little side arms that wont grow much and don't need to be trained. You're right about that's where the hop cones grow, supposedly though haha, if they're your first years then I guess it's kind of 50/50 on whether you'll get any or not.

Insecticidal soap applied about twice a week, or less depending on severity, is usually the best, or just plain soap and water seems to be popular and very low impact.

I have no clue about the leaf shapes though, I'm curious about what that would be myself so I'll keep checking this thread.

K I will hit them with some soapy water first and see if it works. I have one side arm that's grown about 3 inchs today rest are less than an inch. I'm curious about the leave shapes because they started at the exact same spot on my horizonatl lines I wish I could upload pics from my phone.

Just a hint, the way I upload my pics from my phone is I send them directly from my phone to my email, then upload them on tinypic.com after I save them to my computer.