Bugs from my hops
Hop None Given
I dried my hops in a dehydrator and I have thousands of little bugs all around the kitchen and the dehydrator. The plant showed no indication of bugs or desease. Does anyone know what these almost microscopic bugs could be.
Bugs after drying hops
Posted
by: Bill stehl
(1 point)
Posted: September 9, 2016
Answers
They could be aphids. The hop aphids are green or brown small, pear shaped insects generally feeds on leaves and cones by sucking sap. The aphids infested leaves exhibit yellowing, curling and wilting where as the cones become brown. Also this insects excrete honey dew, a sugary substance which helps in development of sooty mold (black fungal coating on infested parts).
I think in your case aphids might have been attacked the cones before harvesting. Drying the cones will generally get rid of most of the aphids.
I think in your case aphids might have been attacked the cones before harvesting. Drying the cones will generally get rid of most of the aphids.
Hop aphids
Hop aphids (Phorodon humuli) on a hop plant
Posted
by: Dr. Ravishankar Narayana
(15 points)
Posted: September 10, 2016
Julien Minet commented,
Hi, I also just collected my hop buds one week ago. I was letting them drying in the house when aphids started to go out from the hop buds. To kill them I put my hop buds in the freezer for 2 days. I didn't notice any aphids on the hop plant before. But is it OK for the hop buds to put them in the freezer? Still an open question... And what could be used to prevent hop being infested by aphids? It is the first year that I grow hop, so the plants may be still stressed as I planted them in April. Fyi, it is located in Belgium. Julien over 7 years ago.
Hi, I also just collected my hop buds one week ago. I was letting them drying in the house when aphids started to go out from the hop buds. To kill them I put my hop buds in the freezer for 2 days. I didn't notice any aphids on the hop plant before. But is it OK for the hop buds to put them in the freezer? Still an open question... And what could be used to prevent hop being infested by aphids? It is the first year that I grow hop, so the plants may be still stressed as I planted them in April. Fyi, it is located in Belgium. Julien over 7 years ago.
Dr. Ravishankar Narayana commented,
I am not sure to what extent the freezing of hop cones kills the aphids, since most of the aphids overwinter on plant debris or weed host during off season. So it is better to dry the cones to remove the aphids (also the frozen cones may take longer time to dry). Spraying of neem oil or canola oil prevents aphids infestation. Also try to encourage natural enemies of aphids like lady bird beetles, lacewings etc. The reflective mulches such as silver colored plastic deter aphids from feeding on plants. https://www.plantvillage.org/en/quest... over 7 years ago.
I am not sure to what extent the freezing of hop cones kills the aphids, since most of the aphids overwinter on plant debris or weed host during off season. So it is better to dry the cones to remove the aphids (also the frozen cones may take longer time to dry). Spraying of neem oil or canola oil prevents aphids infestation. Also try to encourage natural enemies of aphids like lady bird beetles, lacewings etc. The reflective mulches such as silver colored plastic deter aphids from feeding on plants. https://www.plantvillage.org/en/quest... over 7 years ago.
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It will be helpful if you upload the images of bugs. Thanks over 7 years ago.
Attached is a picture over 7 years ago.
I kept some leaves. Again there were no signs of aphids on the plants. They hatched when I dried the hops. over 7 years ago.