While mites usually attack the underside of leaves, they can sometimes get greedy and also eat the upper side of leaves and flowers. Eventually, the mites will suck holes right through the leaves - providing the most obvious evidence of infestation. Even if you can’t find holes in the leaves, your plant may still have spider mites, so keep an eye out for other signs of infestation. Other signs of mite damage include distortion, deformation, wilting, spotting, streaking or discoloration on the surface of the leaves. If the mite damage gets particularly bad, the leaves may start to fall off.
A certain number of the spider mites should fall onto the paper. They can be viewed more easily with a magnifying glass. Spider mites come in a variety of colors, including red, green, yellow and brown. They have eight legs and tend to move quite slowly. Be on the lookout for spider mites with spots on their backs - these are known as two-spotted spider mites and can be particularly hard to get rid of. [1] X Research source
In particular, pay attention to possible infestations on miniature roses, fruit trees, bananas, potted begonias, beans, mint, broad-leafed weeds, strawberries, frangipani and indoor houseplants. Be aware that the two-spotted spider mite has been known to infest over 100 different species of plants.
If an entire plant is infected, you should consider removing it completely. This will give other plants a better chance at survival. Water affected plants only from above and keep removing any infected plant pieces as soon as you spot them.
You can use either plain water or a solution of tepid (cool-warm) water mixed with a very mild dish detergent or soap. Use 3 tablespoons (44. 4 ml) of soap per gallon of water. [2] X Research source You can use any kind of soap, but castile soap is particularly effective. Or, you can also use an insecticidal soap. Use a sponge soaked in the water to wipe down individual leaves of the plant, or place the water in a spray bottle and spritz the underside of the leaves. Apply the soap solution again, six days later, if the infestation continues. Be aware that some species of plant are particularly sensitive to soap, so consider testing the soap solution on a small section of the plant before spraying all over.
Pyrethrum is a natural pesticide which is made from a plant closely related to the chrysanthemum. It is the best pesticide to start with when targeting spider mites, however some spider mite species have developed a resistance to it, so you should keep a close eye on plants even after spraying. Cinnamite is a non-hazardous pesticide derived from cinnamon oil. Although it is very safe to use and is effective for killing the spider mites themselves, it will not destroy the eggs. As a result, it will need to be used approximately every 3 days over a two week period, to ensure that all of the newly hatched eggs are killed also. Neem oil is a miticide derived from the nuts of the Neem tree. It is great for targeting infestations, but also works well as a mite repellent and a treatment for powdery mildew. [3] X Research source Rosemary oil is also effective as an organic pesticide. Try spraying a solution of rosemary oil and water onto the leaves of an infested plant. The rosemary oil will kill the spider mites, but leave the beneficial, predatory species of mites alone. [1] X Research source
Bring the water to a boil, then take off the heat. Once it has cooled slightly add 2 tablespoons (29. 6 ml) of crushed fresh garlic. Leave to sit until the water cools completely, then strain through a cloth or coffee filter. Add a squirt of dish soap to the tea, then pour into a spray bottle. Spray the underside of the infested leaves with the tea every three days over a two week period. This should effectively kill the mites.
Mist susceptible plants with water in the evening to make the environment cooler and more moist. This works well for the two-spotted spider mites which prefer warm and dry environments.
In particular, remove all broad-leafed weeds. Remove all debris remaining after harvest. This includes removing plant stumps, fallen leaves and any other plant matter.
These insects can be purchased online, from garden centers or through advertisements in gardening magazines. Alternatively, herbs such as amaranth and borage can naturally attract ladybugs into your garden. Ask the supplier for details on how to make the most of using predator insects, noting that you’ll have less success if using them in a mixed planting area. Predatory mites can also be used against spider mites. Look for Phytoseiulus persimilis or other predatory mite species at the garden center (ask the retailer for the brand names it comes under, as this differs from country to country), then follow the release instructions. Under the right conditions, predatory mites can decimate a spider mite population. Interestingly, ladybugs (or ladybirds) will leave predatory mites alone, targeting just the spider mites!
If spraying specific chemicals (such as dienochlor, dicofol, azocyclotin, fenbutatin, bromopropylate, propagate), it is recommended that you do not use the same product more than three times per growing season. This will help reduce the chances of the mites gaining resistance against the chemicals.
