Plant Problems

How to Get Rid of Spider Mites

How to Get Rid of Spider Mites

Spider mites are extremely small arachnids closely related to spiders and ticks that cluster on the undersides of leaves and cause damage by sucking on the tissues. Different types of spider mites attack various plants both indoors and out. There are several ways you can learn how to get rid of spider mites. By treating and preventing a minor spider mite infestation affecting only a few leaves, the plant can recover to a healthier state.

Recognizing Spider Mite Damage

It’s easier to spot the damage spider mites inflict on leaves than to look for the nearly microscopic pests on the plants. Here’s what to look for.

Leaves Damaged by Spider Mites

Spider mites feed by sucking out plant juice from the leaves. Some spider mites inject toxins into the leaves that discolor and distort them. Here’s what spider mite-damaged leaves (as well as conifer needles) will look like:

  • Fine white webbing on the leaves
  • Stippled
  • Yellowed
  • Dry
  • Covered with pale yellow spots or blotches
  • White dots appear as the chlorophyll is sucked out
  • Dropping leaves and needles

What Spider Mites Look Like

All spider mites are extremely small, 1/60 to 1/25 inch in size, and are usually recognized by the fine silky webbing they spin on plants, and by the general damage they cause to plant foliage. They come in a wide variety of colors, including red, yellow, green, and brown. Some even change colors throughout the year, while others are translucent.

These pests are so small that you won’t usually be able to see them with the naked eye, but if you hold a white sheet of paper below the affected plant leaf and tap on the leaf with a pencil or your finger, you may then see mites crawling on the paper if you use a magnifying glass.

Most Affected Plants

Outdoor plants most often affected are cucurbits (squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, etc.), beans, tomatoes, and a wide range of landscape trees and shrubs. Many indoor houseplants can be affected by spider mites, especially those with thin, tender leaves. You are most likely to see spider mite damage in warm, dry conditions.1

Parlatoria on leaves and branches of Euonymus japonica. Mealybugs, plant disease white insect small.
 Sokolenko / Getty Images
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Extreme close up of a spider mite

 

Mottled cucumber leaf showing spider mite damage

7 Ways to Get Rid of Spider Mites

A plant in generally poor health may be infested with spider mites. The leaves of the plant may grow yellow and dry-looking. Fortunately, there are several methods for getting rid of spider mites.

Use Rubbing Alcohol

Kill spider mites by combining a mixture of 1 cup of rubbing alcohol and 4 cups of water in a spray bottle, then spray the solution on your plants. Cover the stems, flowers, and foliage thoroughly. Rubbing alcohol kills spider mites by dehydrating them. Try spraying the mixture on a single leaf a few days before treating the rest of your plant, as some plants are more sensitive to rubbing alcohol than others.

Spray With Water

Most species of mites thrive in dry, warm weather, and a very effective control is to regularly spray plants with hard blasts of water, aiming especially at the undersides of leaves or needles. This treatment needs to be repeated regularly to keep the mites and their eggs from regaining a foothold on the plants. Indoor houseplants can be placed in a kitchen sink or bathtub to get treated with the faucet sprayer to remove spider mites and eggs.

Tip

You can wipe down the underside of a plant’s leaves using water and an optional few drops of liquid dish soap mixed in. For large leaves, use a clean cloth to wipe leaves or put the mixture in a spray bottle, spritz the leaves, and wipe with a cloth.

Use Insecticidal Soaps or Oils

Insecticidal soaps that are formulated to kill insects and other pests are often quite effective against spider mites. Treatment will need to be repeated frequently until the mite problem is under control.

Horticultural oil products made from highly refined plant oils, such as citrus, are also very effective against mites since they smother the pests. Horticultural oils are less likely than chemical pesticides to kill beneficial insects.2

Encourage Predators

A variety of predatory insects and mites are known to feed on spider mites. Several can be purchased at larger garden centers or from online retailers to apply to plants you want to protect or cure, including several predatory mites: Phytoseiulus persimilis, Amblyseius californicus, and Amblyseius andersoni. Helpful insects include big-eyed bugs (Geocoris spp.), ladybugs, lacewings (Chrysopa spp.), predatory thrips (Scolothrips spp.), and spined soldier bugs.

Because spider mites have such a large number of natural predators, a hands-off approach may be effective enough in outdoor settings, where diverse insect populations often keep mites under control.

Use Neem Oil

Neem oil is a natural product derived from the neem tree. Neem oil is safe for humans and most animals, but it kills a variety of insects, pests, and mites. Neem oil contains azadirachtin, an active compound that interferes with the feeding, molting, mating, and egg-laying cycle of insects and mites. It should kill any spider mite eggs on contact.

Warning

While neem oil is regarded as a safe organic pesticide when it comes to humans and warm-blooded animals, it is decidedly toxic to fish and other aquatic life.3 Use it cautiously to prevent run-off from reaching streams and lakes where it can poison aquatic life.

Use Pyrethroid Pesticide

Pyrethroid pesticides are made from natural pyrethrins blended with other chemicals to improve the performance of the pyrethrin. Pyrethrin itself is a natural derivative of certain types of chrysanthemum flowers, and in pure form, it is considered a safer pesticide.4

However, pyrethroid pesticides are not considered organic since they contain added chemicals, though they are still a safer alternative than some of the other purely synthetic chemical pesticides. Pyrethroid pesticides are most often recommended against spruce spider mites.

Spray With Chemical Pesticide

A variety of commercial chemical pesticides will kill spider mite infestations, including malathion, bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, and kelthane. These should be reserved for very serious infestations of important plants, and only where other methods have failed. Chemical pesticides are toxic to pets and humans, so they should be used with caution, especially on vegetables and fruits. Always read and follow label directions carefully.

Spider mites are known to quickly develop a tolerance for chemical pesticides, so it’s best to rotate from chemical to chemical if you find it necessary to apply repeated treatments.

Call an Arborist or Tree Disease Specialist

Spruce or other evergreen trees under attack by the spruce spider mite can be very difficult to treat by DIYers, and a licensed professional may have access to stronger pesticides that are unavailable to homeowners. Such strong chemicals are a last resort and should be used only when less toxic methods prove futile and only where the loss of an important tree is likely.

What Causes Spider Mites?

Spider mites are notorious for thriving in dry, hot weather—about 80 degrees Fahrenheit is considered optimal—and most varieties of mites are most prevalent from July to September when conditions are favorable. One notable exception is the spruce spider mite (Oligonychus ununguis), which is most active during cooler weather in spring and fall. The spruce spider mite is a serious pest of various pine trees, causing yellowing of needles and gradual defoliation that can kill the tree.

Indoor plants are most likely to get mites during the winter months, so check them regularly as the indoor air turns dry.

How to Prevent Spider Mites

Potted plants that spend summer months outdoors should be checked carefully before they are brought indoors for the winter. The dry winter months are especially favorable to spider mites, so it’s best to try to inspect for mites before the plants move indoors. Similarly, purchased plants should be carefully checked before you bring them home from the garden center.

Using an indoor air humidifier may help prevent serious infestations, especially if you also spray your houseplants regularly to dislodge and wash away mites before they can gain a foothold.

All plants—both indoors and outdoors—will be less likely to experience spider mite infestations if they are blasted with water occasionally. Spider mites are very tiny pests that are easily washed away.

FAQ
  • Do spider mites bite?

    Although spider mites have piercing mouthparts, they are such tiny creatures that biting through human skin is virtually impossible. Nor do they have any incentive to do so. These are not blood-feeding pests, but creatures that feed entirely on plant juices.

  • Why are spider mites sometimes hard to get rid of?

    Spider mites can sometimes be hard to get rid of because they are microscopic and only noticed when the damage has begun. In addition, spider mites may quickly develop a tolerance for chemical pesticides.

  • Are any plants immune to spider mites?

    There are not many plants that are completely immune to all types of spider mites, but in general, indoor plants with thick, tough leaf structures are less likely to sustain serious damage, including the jade plant, rubber tree, snake plant, and ZZ plant. Spider mites do not like certain outdoor plants, especially root vegetables, including onion and rhubarb, and flowers such as allium (ornamental onions) and Shasta daisies.

  • When is a plant too damaged to recover from spider mites?

    The answer depends on how much damage has been done to the plant. If only a few leaves are damaged, use a disinfected cutting tool to remove and discard them, then treat the plant. If the infestation is heavy and most leaves are damaged, it is time to say goodbye to the plant.

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