What is this bug?

[Kgarrett65]

I have one plant about ready to harvest and three that are a week or so away. I thought I was starting to have some bud rot but on closer inspection I see a very small, round black bug along with a larva in some of the affected areas. Any ideas on what this is and what can be done to treat it? This is an outdoor, organic grow in soil.

 

[Gingerbeard]

Google 'cannabis stem borers' to see if you can identify the larvae. Check the images.

oldjarhead100 just put up an old post about bud rot and taking a look at the associated branches. I can't find it. You there, OJH?

 

[Kgarrett65]

Thanks, it’s an Eurasian Hemp Borer. Pesky little bugger that I can do nothing about.

 

[Gingerbeard]

That sounds like an invasive species. What continent or island are you on? There is a chance a local university or college has an agricultural program who may know something to help.
But you might not mention you have it in your weed.

 

[Gingerbeard]

I got educated and looked up the EHB. It's a moth. The little bugs you showed were not moths. You found the larvae?
Maybe the little black bugs are scale or barnacle insect? Any clusters or just the few?

 

[PLreef]

Hemp borer, aka little assholes. I delt with these a few grows ago. My method might not be textbook but it worked for me. I save 98% of my crop. I found each hole the worms were in, then put one drop of neem (via syringe) into each hole. After a few minutes the worm would start freaking out and try to get out of the stem. At that point I'd grab them one by one with some tweezers. It took some time but I never saw them again.

 

[Gingerbeard]

Curious. Doesn't injecting Neem make it a systemic instead of topical poison?

 

[Rwise]

I have these damn things this year, I am in Oklahoma, I pinch off all I find and destroy them. There is a wasp, but I have found nothing for sale, yet. Also destroy all stems by burning them so they cannot winter in them.