Are those spider mites?

[autonomist3k]

I found these all over my hop dryer the day after putting my hops in to dry.
Are they spider mites, or what are they?

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1470688515.058183.jpg

 

[autonomist3k]

Not sure if it'll be visible in this picture but they're all over my dried hops too, lots of little webs also.View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1470689229.070637.jpg

 

[aeviaanah]

Yea they are mites

 

[dmtaylor]

Could be mites but they look more like aphids. Either way, the effect is the same -- they suck all the juice out of all your hop leaves, which doesn't necessarily hurt much but could hurt your hop yields slightly. Once your hops are dried, it won't matter -- just toss everything into the boil and it will turn out fine. Yes, I'm serious. Even commercial hops will see mites or aphids from time to time. They probably use insecticides to kill them and we can too, but only before the hop cones form. After the cones form, it's best not to spray poison on our hops.

No big deal. Just dry the hops and boil them like they weren't there. You'll never know the difference. I'm serious.

 

[day_trippr]

Shoot, I thought mites, but they could indeed be aphids.
Either way, bad juju.

Nukem!

Cheers!

 

[dmtaylor]

Now I'm thinking they are mites. Mites make webs. Aphids don't. These are stuck in webs. So they're possibly mites. Doesn't matter either way like I said, the effects are all pretty much the same.

 

[autonomist3k]

So what you're saying is Spider Mite IPA?

 

[aeviaanah]

You have an infestation. commercial growers treat for mites and will likely not lead to an infestation.

Curious to see if if you choose to brew with them and if you'll notice a difference

 

[Voodoo]

Those are mites, they are not aphids. DMTaylor is correct - mites make webs.

You should be able to brew with them without issue. I wouldn't worry about the few mites on the cones. The heat of brewing or the cold of freezer storage will definitely kill them.

Any hops covered in webbing should be tossed though. Minor webbing shouldn't do anything to your beer.