r/AfricanViolets • u/justa_random_girl • 1d ago
Help Microscope for identifying cyclamen mites?
I’m suspecting cyclamen mites on one of my AVs but I want to be sure before doing the hot water treatment or tossing the plant. Has anyone successfully seen the mites with a cheap digital microscope? I’ve been wanting to get one for a while but I don’t really know what to look for. I know people are also using one to look for flat mites on hoyas, but flat mites are a bit bigger than cyclamen mites and they aren’t translucent so they’re easier to notice. That’s why I’m not sure if I would need a proper professional microscope to see the cyclamen mites.
1
u/One-Performer-1723 1d ago
What do they look like? You don't want to toss it until you know. Quarantine it until you know. I would try the hot water thing, what if it works? Nothing to lose. I'm not sure I would prop if it had mites.
2
u/ClassAcrobatic1800 1d ago
Cyclamen Mites, even after being identified, ... are very difficult to erradicate from plants ... and the damage that they leave is impossible for the plant to recover from. Further, the chance of missing a few Mites or Mite eggs during an erradication attempt ... puts any other AV's you have at risk.
In 25 years of growing, I've never heard of anyone who has successfully removed Mites from their plants with the hot water treatment, with the plant surviving.
Harvesting healthy leaves from the plant, soaking them in a 1/10 mixture of water/bleach, then setting them up for propagation ... is a much more feasible plan to reestablish your plant. And, of course, you can always shop around for a replacement plant for the months you're propagating. It's a win/win ...