Spider mites are tiny sap-sucking pests of plants. They attack the lower part of the leaves and absorb the power of the plant; in severe infestations, they can even kill a plant.
Spider mites can be a problem, especially if you have houseplants. Spider mites can quickly infest plants, shrubs, flowers, and your home garden. fruits, vegetables, and trees.
Luckily, with the help of this article, you can say goodbye to them forever. We have solid tips on how to get rid of spider mites and say goodbye to this invisible enemy.
Steps On How to Get Rid of Spider Mites
As annoying as mites can be, you can eradicate them with a few simple steps. It’s important to regularly inspect your plants closely, especially if you live in an arid area.
If you can identify signs of an infestation as early as possible, it will be easier to get rid of.
Once you spot an infestation, it’s time to take control and get rid of it. You can use biological control methods or chemical control methods to treat a spider mite infestation. Follow the following steps:
1. Identify The Mites
If your plant is infested with mites, the leaves may have yellow spots. When light falls on the leaves you can see a silvery appearance or even bronze or silver streaks.
While mites generally attack the undersides of leaves, they can sometimes become greedy and eat the tops of leaves and flowers as well.
Eventually, the mites suck holes through the leaves, providing the most obvious evidence of an infestation.
Even if you can’t find any holes in the leaves, your plant may still have mites, so keep an eye out for other signs of an infestation.
Other signs of mite damage include warping, warping, wilting, spots, streaks, or discoloration on leaf surfaces. If the mite damage is particularly severe, the leaves may begin to fall off.
2. Watch Out For White Cobwebs On The Plant
This is a telltale sign of some spider mites. Spider webs often cluster around feeding grounds. Keep in mind that not all spider mite species produce webs.
3. Confirm The Presence Of Spider Mites
Spider mites are so small that they are very difficult to see. What you can use to confirm the presence is to take a piece of white paper, place it under the plant you suspect is infested, and gently shake the stem of one of the leaves.
A certain amount of spider mites should land on the paper. You can see them better 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 fairly slowly. Keep an eye out for back-spot spider mites: these are known as two-spotted spider mites and can be particularly difficult to get rid of.
4. Be Particularly Vigilant With Certain Types Of Plants
There are some plants that spider mites seem to prefer more than others. Pay particular attention to possible infestations of miniature roses, fruit trees, bananas, potted begonias, beans, mint, broadleaf weeds, strawberries, frangipani, and house plants.
Remember that the two-spotted spider mite has been known to infest over 100 different plant species.
5. Be Extra Vigilant In Dry And Dusty Weather
These are the conditions where spider mites can do the most damage as they are thirsty and seek moisture from plant leaves. It also means that they are very attracted to everything.
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6. Immediately Remove Heavily Infested Parts Of The Plant.
Hangs leaves that have fallen off the plant and pull severely damaged leaves from the plant itself. This will prevent the mites from attacking other plants nearby.
Place the leaves in a sealed plastic bag and discard or incinerate them. If an entire plant is infected, consider removing it entirely. This gives other plants a better chance of survival.
Only top water-infested plants and continue removing infected plant parts as soon as you spot them.
7. Wash And Clean Indoor Plants Regularly
Most effective and non-toxic method to eliminate mites from plants. You can use plain water or a solution of lukewarm (cold-lukewarm) water mixed with very mild dish soap or soap. Use 3 tablespoons of soap per gallon of water.
You can use any type of soap, but castile soap is particularly effective. Or you can also use an insecticidal soap.
Use a water-soaked sponge to clean individual leaves on the plant, or put the water in a spray bottle and spray the undersides of the leaves. Reapply the soapy solution six days later if the infestation persists.
Remember that some plant species are particularly sensitive to soap. Therefore, test the soapy solution on a small part of the plant before spraying it all over.
8. Use Isopropyl Alcohol
Isopropyl alcohol effectively kills mites. Simply pour some rubbing alcohol onto a clean cloth and use it to wipe the undersides of the leaves on the affected plant.
9. Buy A Patented Product Suitable For Outdoor Mites
Sprays or wipes are available at garden centers and hardware stores. Use according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
When spraying certain chemicals (such as dienochlor, dicofol, azocyclotin, fenbutatin, bromopropylate, and propagation) it is recommended that you do not use the same product more than three times per growing season.
It will help reduce the chances of mites developing resistance to chemicals.
10. Try Getting Rid Of Mites With Liquid Sulfur
Spraying liquid sulfur is another way to get rid of spider mites.
Do not use powdered sulfur as it could become airborne and be inhaled by you or someone else. Be careful not to spray liquid sulfur on your plants within 30 days of using an oil or in temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
11. Try Organic Salts
Fatty acids or potassium salts can have an abrasive effect on mite bodies. Apply in the late afternoon so the moisture stays on the plants long enough to reach the mites.
Mist susceptible plants with water at night to make the area cooler and wetter. This works well for two-spotted spider mites, which prefer warm, dry environments.
12. Fights Weeds Around Plants.
Do not provide spider mites with additional hiding spots or launch pads to attack the plants you want to grow in the garden.
In particular, remove all broadleaf weeds. includes removing plant stumps, fallen leaves, and other plant matter.
13. Encourage Ladybugs And Other Insects That Feed On Mites
Predatory insects such as lacewing larvae, predatory thrips, and ladybugs can decimate mite populations if they are encouraged to stay in your garden.
However, one of the main reasons spider mite populations develop in the first place is due to the use of pesticides, which kill their natural predators.
Therefore, you should avoid using pesticides such as carbaryl, malathion, and imidacloprid.
These insects can be bought online, in garden centers, or through ads in gardening magazines. Alternatively, herbs like amaranth and borage can naturally attract ladybugs to your garden.
Ask the supplier for details on how to get the most out of using insectivores, and keep in mind that you will have less success 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.
In the right conditions, predatory mites can decimate a spider mite population. Interestingly, ladybugs leave predatory mites alone and only attack spider mites.
14. Use Plant-Based Miticides.
There are several miticides on the market that use natural ingredients to kill mites but leave the plant and other insects unharmed.
Pyrethrum is a natural pesticide made from a plant closely related to the chrysanthemum. It’s the best pesticide to start with when attacking spider mites, however, some species of spider mites have developed resistance to it so keep a close eye on plants even after spraying.
Cinnamon is a harmless pesticide derived from cinnamon oil. Although very safe to use and effective at killing mites, it does not destroy the eggs. every 3 days over two weeks to ensure that all newly hatched eggs die.
Neem oil is a miticide extracted from the nuts of the neem tree. It’s great for controlling pests, but it also works well as a mite.
Rosemary oil is also effective as an organic pesticide. Try spraying a solution of rosemary oil and water on the leaves of an infested plant.
The rosemary oil kills the mites but leaves the beneficial and predatory species of mites alone.
15. Spray Outdoor Plants With A Hose
Attach a spray nozzle to the outer hose and use it to water-infested outdoor plants. Set the water to high pressure and try to aim especially for the underside of the leaves. This should help remove the mites.
Homemade Herbal Tea.
If you want to make your mite remedy at home, you can make an herbal tea by mixing one tablespoon of ground cinnamon, one tablespoon of ground cloves, and two tablespoons of Italian spices in a liter of water.
Bring the water to a boil, then remove it from the heat. Once slightly cooled, add 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed garlic.
Let stand until the water has completely cooled, then strain through a cloth or coffee filter. Add a squirt of dish soap to the tea, then pour it into a spray bottle.
Spray the underside of the affected leaves with the tea every three days for two weeks. This should effectively kill the mites.
Frequently Asked Questions(Faqs)
Should You Toss Away Plants Affected With Mites?
If these houseplant pests get out of control, you can bag up and throw out the entire plant. It’s a quick and permanent way to get rid of mites.
Can You Get Rid Of Mites Completely?
Clean the plant. Use a mixture of alcohol and water to remove and kill visible mites. Dilute 1 cup of alcohol with 30 ounces of water and pour this solution into the spray bottle.
Spray both sides of the leaves well and wipe clean with a paper towel.
What Causes Mite Infestations?
Mites prefer warm, dusty conditions and are usually first found on trees or plants next to dusty paths or on garden edges. Plants under water stress are also very vulnerable.
When leaf quality declines on heavily infested plants, female mites capture wind currents and disperse to other plants.
What Kills Spider Mites On Contact?
Naturally derived miticide sprays such as neem oil, pyrethrins, azadirachtin, and horticultural oil can be sprayed directly onto adult mites, larvae, nymphs, and eggs to kill them on contact.
For active spider mite infestations, apply at 3-day intervals until control is achieved.
What Kills Mites Instantly?
Sprays and aerosols containing combined pyrethrins should kill mites immediately upon contact, although the treatment is only effective for up to a few hours.
Insecticide sprays containing permethrin or bifenthrin are effective against many mites and should retain their killing effect for several weeks.
Final Thoughts
Spider mites like the dusty leaves of plants that suffer from water stress. A good way to deter them is to regularly clean dirty leaves and make sure the watering schedule is right for your plant.
You can also try using a leaf shine regularly. Most spider mites can be controlled with insecticidal/acaricidal soaps and oils. Oils, both horticultural and dormant, can be used.
Horticultural oils can be used on perennial and woody ornamental plants in summer, but avoid spraying flowers, which can damage them.
