# Pocket microscopes



## ALToronto (Jan 16, 2015)

I had no idea they were so cheap! I just picked up a lighted 60-120 X microscope for $15 on Amazon, with free shipping. There were even cheaper ones, but I got the one with the most good reviews. Now I can't wait to see if I have false spider mites or some other disease that's been giving my phals a difficult time.

Does anyone else use them?


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## Brabantia (Jan 16, 2015)

ALToronto said:


> I had no idea they were so cheap! I just picked up a lighted 60-120 X microscope for $15 on Amazon, with free shipping. There were even cheaper ones, but I got the one with the most good reviews. Now I can't wait to see if I have false spider mites or some other disease that's been giving my phals a difficult time.
> 
> Does anyone else use them?


To see the red spider I use a 10x magnifying glass (it is enough). Available on DX.com. 60x 120 is to hight because the depth of field.


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## PaphMadMan (Jan 16, 2015)

I have an inexpensive digital microscope that I bought to try for pictures of small flowers, but I haven't used it to look for critters. I haven't used it at all in at least a year. I wonder where I put it?


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## The Mutant (Jan 16, 2015)

I use a 7.5x loupe and I could see my false spider mites with it (I could see them with my naked eye too, but to confirm what it was I used the loupe). The real dead giveaway however, beside the damage, was the shed skin they left behind like miniscule, black, oblong calling cards... 

My loupe was dirt cheap and the quality matches the price, but it gets the job done.


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## Secundino (Jan 16, 2015)

Wow - I didn't know that pocket microscopes existed! Thats great! For my botanist -loupe is good, but not first choice any more. Thanks! Birthday calling!!!:rollhappy:


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## Erythrone (Jan 16, 2015)

The Mutant said:


> I use a 7.5x loupe and I could see my false spider mites with it (I could see them with my naked eye too, but to confirm what it was I used the loupe). The real dead giveaway however, beside the damage, was the shed skin they left behind like miniscule, black, oblong calling cards...
> 
> My loupe was dirt cheap and the quality matches the price, but it gets the job done.




Maybe you are seeing red spider mites instead of false spider mites? oke:


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## Erythrone (Jan 16, 2015)

I use a 30x lighted microscope for False spider mites (Flat mites) detection. I am not 100% sure if the mites I "raised" on some orchids are Brevipalpus or Tenuipalpus (Phalaenopsis mite) though, but they are Flat mites anyway.

For red spider, Tetranychus: naked eye, 5x or 10x lens is enough for me. They are easier to see than Flat mites because they move quickly and love to make sliky tiny web.


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## The Mutant (Jan 16, 2015)

Erythrone said:


> Maybe you are seeing red spider mites instead of false spider mites? oke:


Nope. The description of red spider mites didn't fit when I read about it. This however, found the aos website, fit like a glove:



> Brevipalpus californicus The first observable injury from this mite feeding on orchid leaves appears as silvery areas that eventually become sunken and brown. Heavily infested leaves will become yellow and drop from the plants. Individuals of B. californicus are difficult to see because they lie flat against the leaf and move slowly; however, *populations can be detected by the presence of cast skins.*



They forgot to clean up after themselves and, most importantly, no webs were present. 

Oh, and this one fit too (it's the print version of the information, just so you know when the print menu pops up): Hark-Orchideen Orchid Mites.

Just refer to me as hawkeye from now on. :wink: Hawkeye with somewhat bad eyesight since I miss a lot of things, especially if they're larger ones. :rollhappy:


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## Paph_LdyMacBeth (Jan 16, 2015)

Hey! if anyone has links for these awesome devices I'd love to see them! I'm still using my old grade school magnifier (ok, not mine, but someones) lol


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## Erythrone (Jan 16, 2015)

The Mutant said:


> Nope. The description of red spider mites didn't fit when I read about it. This however, found the aos website, fit like a glove:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thank you! I knew those links. You have a very acute vision. But spider mites shed their skin too and we usually see webs when there area lot of mites
http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2909/2909-1414/spider-mites/L_1-21.jpg
http://extension.umd.edu/sites/defa...nsects/SpiderMite/spider_mites_l2-300x225.jpg

http://www.learn2grow.com/problemsolvers/insectsanimals/insectdamagecontrol/spidermites.aspx
https://ucanr.edu/repositoryfiles/ca509p11-71638.pdf
http://www.townsvilleorchidsociety.org.au/files/CONTROL OF RED SPIDER AND FALSE SPIDER MITES.pdf


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## The Mutant (Jan 16, 2015)

Erythrone said:


> Thank you! I knew those links. You have a very acute vision. But spider mites shed their skin too and we usually see webs when there area lot of mites
> http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/2909/2909-1414/spider-mites/L_1-21.jpg
> http://extension.umd.edu/sites/defa...nsects/SpiderMite/spider_mites_l2-300x225.jpg
> 
> ...


Thank you for those links (that last one is really good I think, I read it when I was looking for information about mites on orchids). You can never be armed with enough knowledge! 

Oh, but the shed skins were dark on these, not white. I saw the live ones with the loupe during summer and they were very slow moving and had no spots. 

The most infested plant was one of my Phals and it had lots of these miniscule skins on its leaves and underneath the plant on the windowsill (I just measured one of the leftover skins from the latest mites episode, it was less than half a millimeter long). That's what gave them away and the fact that the Phal started looking droopy and had pitted leaves. 

I keep an eye on the windowsills (they're white) underneath the plants just to make sure no new shed skins appear since this seems to be the easiest way to tell if I have them again or not. It's also easier to see the skins on the leaves rather than looking for live mites.


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## ALToronto (Jan 17, 2015)

Paph_LdyMacBeth said:


> Hey! if anyone has links for these awesome devices I'd love to see them! I'm still using my old grade school magnifier (ok, not mine, but someones) lol



This is the microscope I got. 

http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00LAX52IQ?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

Go to amazon.ca and search for microscope or magnifying glass. There are jewellers' loupes available in the $5 range, with 30x magnification. I wanted a more substantial device.


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## Paph_LdyMacBeth (Jan 17, 2015)

ALToronto said:


> This is the microscope I got.
> 
> http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00LAX52IQ?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
> 
> Go to amazon.ca and search for microscope or magnifying glass. There are jewellers' loupes available in the $5 range, with 30x magnification. I wanted a more substantial device.




Magnificent! That looks great to me


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