Cannabis Cultivation and Science Podcast · Tad Hussey

Episode 144: Pest Management Tips and Tricks with Saul Alba

·1 hr 11 min·4 clips

Galendromus occidentalis may feed on hemp russet mite, but control is still unproven.

1. Cannabis Cultivation and Science Podcast Episode 144 focuses on pest management tips and tricks with Saul Alba. 2. Tad Hussey hosts Saul Alba, Biobee USA’s technical sales representative, and Saul matters because he has worked in vineyard and winery operations, IPM at Monterey Mushroom Company and Jacobs Farm, and cannabis IPM at Harborside Farms. 3. The episode asks how cannabis growers can design IPM programs that keep pests below economic thresholds without overspending on sprays or beneficial insects. 4. Saul says his Biobee work is consultative sales, not just product sales, because he helps customers choose compatible sprays, proper application rates, and the right timing for beneficial insects. 5. He says beneficial insects work better when released earlier in the growth cycle, and he warns that overapplying them can hurt budgets without improving control. 6. Saul describes different pest complexes in greenhouse, indoor, and outdoor cannabis, using grasshoppers, root aphids, and botrytis as examples of setting-specific problems. 7. He says climate and growing practice matter, especially in low-tech greenhouses without heating or dehumidifiers and in tightly packed rooms where sprays and scouting both become harder. 8. Saul’s mental checklist starts in propagation, then moves through each stage while he takes notes on the primary pest, what the grower has tried, and why those tactics may be failing. 9. He says the first visit is mostly listening and note taking, because the goal is to understand the facility before recommending any intervention. 10. Saul points to drain-side trays in indoor rooms as a place to find root aphids and says leaf damage often reveals thrips or spider mite activity. 11. He emphasizes follow-up emails within a week so recommendations stay fresh and the IPM lead can act on what was seen. 12. When asked about recommendations, Saul says he first wants monitoring data, especially yellow cards and counts of spider mites or spider mite eggs per leaf. 13. He says some veg growers spray first and skip monitoring, but he prefers starting with data so he can decide whether biocontrol can realistically catch up. 14. Saul explains that if pest pressure is too high for beneficials, he may recommend sprays first, including organic materials that reduce the pest load before releases. 15. He says his own background includes learning California organic sprays before moving fully into biological control, which helped him integrate both approaches. 16. On hemp russet mite, Saul says there is no reliable commercially available predatory mite with proven control, even though some anecdotes suggest otherwise. 17. He says Biobee has begun production of Galendromus occidentalis, known as the western predatory mite or “oxys,” and he wants cannabis growers with russet mite problems to help generate data. 18. Saul and Tad stress the difference between a mite that can feed on russet mite and one that can actually control it below an economic level. 19. The conversation stays technical and practical, with Tad pressing for clear distinctions and Saul answering in a measured, consultative style. 20. Cannabis growers dealing with thrips, spider mites, fungus gnats, or russet mites will get the most value, while people wanting a high-level overview may skip it.

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