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Neighbors mites traveling

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 6:05 am
by Van-isle-bamboo
Any thoughts or experience on how far a mite can travel in the air or by ground? My neighbor looks to have mites on his Arrow bamboo from say a distance of 10' from our fence line. His Nuda doesn't seem to have any leaf damage though and it's about 50' away. I am super scared to get mites because I have about 26 varieties and I hate the mite look. Should I just spray my boos yearly? Spray his too for him, if he lets me? Please please let me know about experiences because thank god I haven't had any yet and I think it's going to be mite war this year.

Re: Neighbors mites traveling

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 6:16 am
by Tarzanus
When conditions get dry and warm enough for them to explode, they will travel. If neighbor allows you, I'd go for it and spray his bamboo.When he sees improvement, I'm sure he will start taking care of it himself too.

Re: Neighbors mites traveling

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 7:02 am
by ShmuBamboo
They will not crawl that far, but birds, kids, dogs, cats, squirrels, etc. will rub against the boo leaves and spread them around. I would spray with ag oil on your boos to prevent any from getting established, and spray his boos with Avid or Floramite. Its not cheap stuff, but Avid in generic form is fairly cheap (Lucid, Ardent, Timectin, etc.).

Good luck, and do it as soon as possible.

Re: Neighbors mites traveling

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 2:40 pm
by Van-isle-bamboo
Thanks guys. It really pisses me off the whole mite thing. Every grove I look at around here has mites and people have know idea. If they only knew how healthy their bamboos would look like without them.

Re: Neighbors mites traveling

Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 12:49 am
by pokenei
Hm... I've had mite problem when I grow bamboo indoors, but since putting them outside, I don't have the issue. Perhaps my plantings are still small so the wind just blow them away easily. And I think our climate (zone 5 winter) would kill any living mite outdoor.

Oh and also, I see a lot of running predator mites prowling my area. I suppose they would be able to keep bamboo/spider mites in check (if there are any).

Re: Neighbors mites traveling

Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 1:54 am
by johnw
First off Avid and Floramite are not available to home owners in Canada not for that matter any effective miticde unless you have a license to buy and spray and then sometimes a permit is required.

The mites on your bamboos indoors are probably red spider or spotted mites. The quickly disappear outdoor unelss you have persitent low humidity and heat. These mites can winter as eggs outdoors but they are unrelated to bamboo mites. Bamboo mites winter outdoors in Hokkaido and Sapporo and other cold places. And early in the spring they are big brutes, later they lay eggs under an impenetrable web where they cause their damage. They can also hide under all the various sheaths where sprays might not reach.

If neighbor has damage already they infestation must be sizeabble. They can travel as passengers on birds and migrate to bamboos via grass/lawns, nmiscanthus and other ornamental grasses. I drench repeatedly with Intercept and spray as well with pyrethrins/canola oil but the latter can sorch at this time of year. We had a recent shipment of bamboos with obvious bamboo mites and burnt all suspicious leaves, washed stems down, removed sheaths etc etc. If they come back a large chunk of change will go up in smoke. Best to deal in rhizomes only rather than imported bamboos especially from western nurseries though many ignorant eastern nurseries import from the west.

I once lived under the delusion that they would not winter in a cold climate, read this by Dr. Steffen Greiner.............. then launch an assault.

Re: Neighbors mites traveling

Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 4:07 am
by Van-isle-bamboo
I believe he's going to chop it all down because its to invasive for him. Maybe I should help him to get the darn infestation away :twisted:

Re: Neighbors mites traveling

Posted: Wed Jun 26, 2013 11:23 pm
by pokenei
Good idea...
If they don't want it, I'd say light it up with gasoline and watch it burn...at night...on July 1st...be careful not to burn down houses :lol:

Re: Neighbors mites traveling

Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2013 11:30 am
by johnw
On the subject of predator mites, the ones native to North America will not control bamboo mites apparently. The Asian predators for bamboo mites have so far - at least it's my my understanding - not received clearance to be imported to North America.

Re: Neighbors mites traveling

Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2013 12:50 pm
by Van-isle-bamboo
So what you are saying is that there are predators to introduce to your grove that feed on the bamboo mites? What happens if they run out of food( bamboo mites) to eat?

Re: Neighbors mites traveling

Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2013 1:13 pm
by johnw
No, what I'm saying is:

1. we have no native predatory mites in North America that will control bamboo mites.
2. there are predatory mites that can control bamboo mites but they are native elsewhere and have not been approved for entry into North America.
3. Please correct me on this but I believe one predatory mite which controls a bamboo mite - not the bamboo mite(s) which concern us in the USA & Canada - is close or has received approval for importation to Europe. I think it controls a tropical bamboo mite???

As with any IPM programme once the predator runs out of a food source it dies out and has to be re-introduced again should the pest return from another source or site.

Google a big article or website done out in Oregon or Washington by either a University or Dept of Ag.
on bamboo mites. I think someone here quoted the link recently.

Re: Neighbors mites traveling

Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2013 2:39 pm
by Van-isle-bamboo
Interesting and thanks for that information. One can only hope that one day a predator will feed on our local bamboo mites. How long does it take for the mites to show damage on a bamboo? Could it be that some of my groves already have them because of my neighboring infestations ?

Re: Neighbors mites traveling

Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2013 4:00 pm
by Alan_L
Van-isle-bamboo wrote:Could it be that some of my groves already have them because of my neighboring infestations ?
I'd assume "yes" to play it safe. Do a thorough inspection, then maybe start pre-emptive systemic application if you see any damage. Note that some species are more susceptible than others.

Re: Neighbors mites traveling

Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2013 11:42 am
by johnw
Van-Isle - If you get a nursery to give you some Intercept it's a systemic worth a try. Drench the roots system at the recommended rate, outdoors is tricky as you must make sure the Intercept does not get diluted by rains for 10 days - long enough for full uptake. Maybe they could also come by and spray a commercial miticide at timely intervals. Problem will not go away as long as the neighbours have an infestation.

Friend in Surrey had no problems until last year when mites arrived and devastated his F. murieliaes, a genus not commonly thought of as mite-susceptible. Without a doubt the worst case I've ever seen. I'd guess your low summer humidity exacerbates the problem.

Re: Neighbors mites traveling

Posted: Fri Jun 28, 2013 3:43 pm
by Van-isle-bamboo
Wow that damage looks massive. Mine have no visable damage yet but I really don't want it to get to that point either.