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Strange insect and tiny mushrooms both in my seedling pot!?

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2020 4:28 am
by Artchic528
I was looking at my seedlings just now and noticed some movement behind the plant tag. I pulled it back and saw a couple of these insects chilling in the shadows made by the tag. By the time I got my phone out only this one insect was there. They look to be a burrowing insect. I want to say they remind me of pill bugs or mole crickets, but I know they aren't either of them. Are they anything to be concerned about?

I also noticed a fair few of what look to be extremely tiny mushrooms growing in my peat. I can't say much else other than maybe I need more light? I know fungi generally like a dark and moist environment. My dog likes to look out the window where my setup is located and when he gets excited over seeing a neighbor walking their dog, or even a squirell giving him a haughty look, he'll sometimes knock the cord for the lamp I'm using right out of it's socket. I'm highly considering just putting the pot outside to forgo this being a reoccurring problem.

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Re: Strange insect and tiny mushrooms both in my seedling pot!?

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2020 4:49 am
by Jaker00
Artchic528 wrote:I was looking at my seedlings just now and noticed some movement behind the plant tag. I pulled it back and saw a couple of these insects chilling in the shadows made by the tag. By the time I got my phone out only this one insect was there. They look to be a burrowing insect. I want to say they remind me of pill bugs or mole crickets, but I know they aren't either of them. Are they anything to be concerned about?

I also noticed a fair few of what look to be extremely tiny mushrooms growing in my peat. I can't say much else other than maybe I need more light? I know fungi generally like a dark and moist environment. My dog likes to look out the window where my setup is located and when he gets excited over seeing a neighbor walking their dog, or even a squirell giving him a haute look, he'll sometimes knock the cord for the lamp I'm using right out of it's socket. I'm highly considering just putting the pot outside to forgo this being a reoccurring problem.ImageImage

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The bug looks like some sort of beetle I'm not sure though as for the fungi, if they don't go away with more light, then i would suggest using a fungicide

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Re: Strange insect and tiny mushrooms both in my seedling pot!?

Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2020 3:23 pm
by Artchic528
Jaker00 wrote:
Artchic528 wrote:I was looking at my seedlings just now and noticed some movement behind the plant tag. I pulled it back and saw a couple of these insects chilling in the shadows made by the tag. By the time I got my phone out only this one insect was there. They look to be a burrowing insect. I want to say they remind me of pill bugs or mole crickets, but I know they aren't either of them. Are they anything to be concerned about?

I also noticed a fair few of what look to be extremely tiny mushrooms growing in my peat. I can't say much else other than maybe I need more light? I know fungi generally like a dark and moist environment. My dog likes to look out the window where my setup is located and when he gets excited over seeing a neighbor walking their dog, or even a squirell giving him a haute look, he'll sometimes knock the cord for the lamp I'm using right out of it's socket. I'm highly considering just putting the pot outside to forgo this being a reoccurring problem.ImageImage

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
The bug looks like some sort of beetle I'm not sure though as for the fungi, if they don't go away with more light, then i would suggest using a fungicide

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I did some research, it looks an awful lot like a cockroach nymph, or a close relative of it. Too bad my deliciously dewy death traps aren't already feasting on them. Tricksy bugs!!

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Re: Strange insect and tiny mushrooms both in my seedling pot!?

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 4:57 pm
by Artchic528
I've got the pot in a sunnier spot but the mushrooms keep on growing! They are three times bigger now! Time for fungicide I guess.

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Re: Strange insect and tiny mushrooms both in my seedling pot!?

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 5:31 pm
by Artchic528
I've heard that putting a few drops of dish soap into a liter of water and spraying it on the mushrooms gets rid of them. I just worry about it harming my sundews. Will it harm them?

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Re: Strange insect and tiny mushrooms both in my seedling pot!?

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 5:44 pm
by Benny
Artchic528 wrote:I've heard that putting a few drops of dish soap into a liter of water and spraying it on the mushrooms gets rid of them. I just worry about it harming my sundews. Will it harm them?
Most CPs hate anything other than pure water touching their roots. I am not sure how much rinsing the soil will help rid of the soap. Mushrooms like cool, wet, and dark areas with little airflow. Try watering a little less, increasing airflow (a small fan or an open window), or repotting the seedlings (I don't know how large they are). If you do decide to repot, be sure to sterilize your new soil and get rid of the old. Spores travel very easily.

Not sure what those bugs are, but they shouldn't cause harm to the plants.

Re: Strange insect and tiny mushrooms both in my seedling pot!?

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 8:45 pm
by Artchic528
I took a teeny tiny plastic spoon (the kind that come with a sea monkey kit) and scooped out all the mushrooms I could see, putting the mushrooms into a plastic cup and throwing the cup away. I also took the liberty of spacing out my sundews a little more so they weren't as crowded, scooping them out with the same spoon and being very gentle and careful. I think I did a good job.
spaced out sundews.jpg
spaced out sundews.jpg (1.06 MiB) Viewed 2948 times

Re: Strange insect and tiny mushrooms both in my seedling pot!?

Posted: Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:46 pm
by ChefDean
Can't help with critter ID, but I occasionally get some mushrooms growing in my pots. I just pull them out as soon as I see them, usually I get them before they drop spores. Then I just keep a little better eye on those pots just in case I wasn't quick enough and they dropped spores.