The majesty palm is part of the tree family Araceae and a native of Madagascar. They possess robust tropical and big green palm fronds.
These plants are kept home as houseplants and can be grown indoors; these plants can grow as tall as 12ft and sometimes even gut up to 98ft in some species.
During dry and hot climates, the majesty Palm Tree is vulnerable and can be attacked by pests and diseases. One of such pests is spider mites.
As a part of the arachnid family, spider mites are one of the most common pests to attack plants and cause harm to them.
These bugs are capable of laying up to 100 eggs per day and can cause massive infestation if left for long, they are sometimes red, yellow, orange, and brown.
In this article, we are going to discuss how spider mites affect palm trees, the signs of spider mite infestation and how to get rid of spider mites on majesty trees
Signs Of Spider Mites On Majesty Palm Trees
Spider mites are very tiny creatures and as such it’s difficult to see with the human eye. To Identify if there are spider mites in your plants, you need to check for the following signs
Bleaching Of Leaves
Chlorophyll is a pigment that gives plants their characteristic green appearance.
When pests like spider mites attack the majesty Palm Tree, they feed on the sap that contains Chlorophyll, the plant will lose Chlorophyll and start to look dull and greyish.
Small Webs On Leaves
Like the name spider mites, these bugs attach themselves to the leaves of majesty palm trees by making cottony webs on these trees.
Making webs on the trees is also a way in which these pests move from one leaf to another. If you notice small clusters of spider webs on your palm tree, it’s a sign of infestation.
Black Or Brown Dots On Undersides Of Leaf.
When pests attack majesty palms, they cause damage to the leaves, these can be in the form of brown or black dots or holes in these plants.
Since spider mites have two black spots on their bodies, they become visible on the leaves if the pests attach themselves to the leaves of majesty palm trees.
How To Get Rid Of Spider Mites On Majesty Palm Trees
Having accurate knowledge of the signs of spider mite infestation on your majesty palm tree is essential because it allows us to use the best method available to get rid of these pests. A few major ways have been discussed in detail below on how to get rid of spider mites on majesty palm trees.
Separate The Infected Palm
Spider mites travel through the air and can easily attach themselves to other plants. To prevent this from occurring, isolate the infected plants from other healthy plants.
This will help curb the spread of spider mites on the trees and also make it easier for the infected plants or leaves to be treated quickly. Transport the infected plants to another location with care to prevent the spider mites from sticking to your clothes.
If the spider mites are few on the infected plants, Prune only the infected and allow new ones to grow.
Make Use Of Neem Oil
Neem oil is a natural and organic pest repellent used on most plants, the oil contains Azadirachtin, a chemical component that kills spider mites and other pests on a plant.
To make use of neem oil, mix three ingredients (neem oil, water and soap water) together in a spray bottle and spray a generous amount on the infected parts.
The solution will suffocate the pests, making them unable to reproduce, eventually, the spider mites will die.
Apply Rubbing Alcohol
Using a mixture of water and rubbing alcohol, spray the solution on the affected plants, leave the solution for a while and wash off the dead spider mites with water later.
Use Predator Pests
Just like every prey has a predator, other natural predator pests feed mainly on spider mites, they are namely persimilis and fallacies. These pests feed on the spider mites and their eggs and help control the population and infestation.
When using these natural predators, ensure that they are kept at a humid temperature of about 50% to allow these predators to survive.
Apply Chemical Pesticides
Using chemical pesticides to get rid of spider mites might not be the best option because they might end up affecting the plant itself.
But this is used if the natural method seems to be ineffective for the plants. Some of these pesticides include horticultural oil, insecticidal soap, etc.
These Pesticides kill the eggs of the spider mites, attack the spider mites and eventually, they will end up dying. To prevent the pesticide from killing other insects that are beneficial to the plants, purchase pesticides that are formulated for spider mites only.
How Do You Get Rid Of Spider Mites On Indoor Palms?
- Remove the infected plants and keep them outdoors
- Place the infected palm tree inside a bathtub, spray gently on the leaves and trunk using a hand shower head.
- Using a towel, gently dry the plants before moving them back to their original location
- Spray the infected parts with Neem solution or horticultural oil to kill the mites. This process can be repeated twice a week.
Why Do Majesty Palms Get Spider Mites?
Majesty Palm Trees that are kept outdoors may be prone to spider mites if the tree is dry and rusty, keeping the plants in constant hot and dry conditions will allow for pests to attack them.
To prevent this from happening, always mist the plant at regular intervals to prevent the plant from becoming too dry.
How Does Rubbing Alcohol Get Rid Of Spider Mites?
Using rubbing alcohol on spider mites helps to kill the pests immediately. To make use of rubbing alcohol, you can spray a solution of water and alcohol on the plants or dab in cotton wool and rub on the infected plants. Using rubbing alcohol on plants is also one of the best ways to get rid of mites once and for all.
Should I Move My Majesty’s Palm Outside?
If your majesty’s palm is suffering from pests indoors, it is advisable to move them outside to curtail the spread of these pests to other indoor plants. Once outside, you should carry out the necessary steps to remove the mites from the plants.
In conclusion, having spider mites on your plants can be of serious concern, but thankfully we have been able to see practical ways we can get rid of these spider mites without causing harm to the plants itself
