As a plant lover , you might have seen Spider mites on houseplants. Spider mites, as one of the common houseplant diseases, are classified as tiny pests that, if your plant is infected with it and you don’t treat it in time, you will have to witness the death of your plant. This pest feeds on the sap of the plant, which eventually causes the yellowing of the leaves and, ultimately, the death of the plants. Here in TheHplants we will talk about the introduction of this pest as well as ways to prevent and treat it to get rid of spider mites in houseplants.
Spider mites on houseplants
From a distance, when you look at your plant, it looks pale and a bit dry. get a little closer to your plant and look at it more closely; Hold the plant towards the light and check the underside of the leaves. If you see fine nets and small dots moving around, you should know that your plant has a spider mites infestation! Spider mites are so tiny and practically invisible that they are not easy to get rid of, but you can get rid of them with biological control methods, natural home remedies, or chemical pesticides.
Introduction of spider mite
Another name for this pest is the red mite, one of the most dangerous pests of houseplants, greenhouses, crops, and gardens, which causes the death of the plant if not treated. The spider mite attacks plants with a large population and causes severe damage.
Spider mite belongs to the same family as mites, spiders, threshing spiders, and scorpions, and it is considered arachnids, not insects. These pests are about the size of a grain of sugar, so these oval-shaped, eight-legged creatures are difficult to detect without a microscope or magnifying glass.
There are different types of spider mites. There are red spider mites, carmine spider mites, strawberry spider mites, and spruce spider mites. The most common type of this pest is the two-spotted spider mite. These pests are yellow-orange with dark spots on both sides of their body and live together in groups. These pests stick to the underside of the leaves and feed on the plant’s chlorophyll.
Characteristics of spider mites
Their body length is usually about 0.5 mm.
- The body color of spider mite is yellow to pale brown in the larval stage and red to orange in the mature stage.
- During feeding, the net spreads and covers the surface of the leaves.
- There are two dark spots on the body of a spider mite, which is why they are also called a two-spot tartan mite.
- Spider mites are very small and oval in shape.
- It is difficult to detect spider mites with the naked eye due to their small size and fast movement.
- The first thing that can be seen in the face of these mites and informs us of their presence is the net on different parts of the plant.
- Usually, the accumulation of nets can be seen in the lower part of the leaves, but in severe pollution, nets can be seen in all parts.
- To detect the presence of spider mites on the plant, place a white paper under the leaves and shake the plant; If a spider mites are on the plant, they are dropped on the paper like pepper seeds by shaking the leaf.
Life stages of a spider mite :
Before discussing how to prevent and get rid of spider mites on houseplants, it is better to know their life cycle to avoid them easily. The tartan mite spends the winter as an adult female (at this time, they are seen in red-brown color) in the cracks of trees, under cones, or under straw and fallen leaves. When the weather is suitable, the mites are transferred to the plants. After 5 to 12 days, the eggs open, and spider mite babies come out.
The growth and activity of mites completely depend on temperature and humidity. In the spring, when the weather is cool, the activity of the mite is low, but its population and damage reach the highest level in the summer. Hot and dry weather is very suitable for the reproduction and increase of the population of this mite. This mite creates several generations in each crop season.
How to prevent spider mites on houseplants
First, provide your plants with some standard workarounds:
- Preventing heating of the plant storage environment
- Reduction of dust in the space (accumulation of dust on the leaves causes the increase and survival of pests)
- Not using insecticides and sulfur or its compounds to control and eliminate powdery mildew in a wide range (excessive use of chemical poisons causes pest outbreaks).
- Basic watering of each plant to prevent water stress from entering the plant (excessive dryness of the plant will increase the damage caused by mites).
Now, we will check every method of spider mite prevention on houseplants.
The first way of prevention is to clean the plants
The first way to prevent spider mites in houseplants is to clean the leaves. The spider mite pest lives on dust-covered leaves of plants that suffer from dehydration. A good way to prevent spider mites from growing on your plants is to periodically remove dirty leaves and make sure your plant is well watered. You can also regularly use leaf polishers.
The second method of increasing the humidity of the storage environment
Since spider mites like dry environments, keeping the air around houseplants moist is a great way to prevent spider mites from settling on the plant. First of all, you can start with proper watering of the plant. Humidifiers near houseplants can also work wonders.
But there are many ways to create a humid environment. For example, you can periodically spray water on your houseplants as drops or place a container full of water near the plants to allow it to evaporate. You can also add peat moss to the potting soil and use a transparent curtain to ensure your plant is not exposed to direct sunlight.
The third thing is to check plants at home and when shopping.
If you like to keep your plants on the terrace or in the yard during the summer, take precautions in terms of pest control before bringing them back indoors. It only takes a few spider mite eggs to kill all your plants. Also, when you buy a new houseplant, it can be dangerous to immediately place it next to other houseplants. When buying new flowers and plants, be sure to check them for contamination and possible pests, and if there is any problem, take action to fix it first.
How to identify spider mites in houseplants and outdoor plants?
The easiest way to identify spider mites that infest plants is their tissue. The first thing you’ll likely notice is silver spot patterns or spots on the plant’s leaves. Looking closely, you can see small, fine webbing on the corners of the stems or under the leaves and small white dots scattered throughout. These little white dots are actually spider mites! A spider mite produces thin nets to protect itself and its young. Look for nets under the leaves and leaf joints; If a spider mite infestation is out of control, you’ll see many tiny dot-like creatures crawling under the nets.
At first, you probably won’t be able to see the spider mite. As time goes by and their activity increases, you will see wider netting areas.
The spider mite uses the sharp parts of its mouth to bite the plant tissue. You can identify the spider mite if the leaves turn white, change color or turn yellow. When spider mite damage is severe, you will likely see lots of small white or brown spots on the underside of the leaves.
To identify this pest more accurately, you need a magnifying glass.
Where does the spider mite come from ?
The most common way for this plant to transmit is from other infected plants. Spider mites can also be transmitted by clothes or pets. However, the most common way spider mites enter your home is through infected plants.
Ways to get rid of spider mites on houseplants
The prevention we said above is the first step to getting rid of spider mites on houseplants. But note that as soon as you see this pest on the leaves of the plants, separate the plant from other plants and be sure to check the plants that were infected around the plant to make sure they are not affected by the pest and take the following actions for the plant.
also check out how to Get Rid Of Aphids On Houseplants
1- Quarantine your plant and isolate the tick
As we have mentioned in all the articles, the first step is to separate the infected plant from other plants and quarantine it, and then remove the webbed parts from the plant; if the leaves are damaged, remove them from the plant. (so prune the affected branches and leaves)
2- Home methods to eliminate spider mites on plants
It is not always the first way to use chemicals and poisons. Because the plants are inside the house and the use of poisons has the possibility of harming humans, it is better for you to first use home methods to eliminate spider mites on houseplants, which include:
water spray
You can easily get rid of spider mites on houseplants by spraying water on the leaves and the parts where you see the web; make sure that you have sprayed the underside of the leaves with water. This also removes dust from the leaves.
neem oil
Another organic treatment to eliminate houseplant mites is natural neem tree extract; this oil is a general pest repellent that can be used to suffocate spider mites. You can also use this method as a practical method.
Homemade insecticidal soap
Another organic way to get rid of spider mites on houseplants is to make an insecticide solution at home. Mix 1 tablespoon of liquid soap in 1 liter of water and pour it into a water bottle; mix the substance well and spray it on the leaves and branches of your plant. Do this every 3 days to get rid of the spider mite; of course, you can also use pepper, mint, and rosemary in this mixture.
Apple vinegar
Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar is a suitable choice for eliminating spider mites on houseplants due to its acidity; just mix a quarter cup of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of baking soda, and a few drops of dishwashing liquid in 1 liter of lukewarm water. Spray on the affected branches and leaves to witness its magic.
Using rosemary to get rid of spider mites
Many people know rosemary extract as a strong insecticide; you just need to dilute one teaspoon of rosemary oil in 1 liter of water and spray it on the plant as above and witness its magic.
Making garlic spray
Another home method to get rid of spider mites is to use garlic spray, crush a few cloves of garlic and then mix it with a liter of water; leave this mixture overnight until it is ready to use. Then strain it and spray it on your plants. Garlic contains sulfur that can help repel spider mites.
3- Chemical methods to eliminate spider mites on plants
In some cases, it has been observed that it is not possible to get rid of a spider mite with home methods, and chemical methods must be used for this purpose, which we will introduce below.
Using insecticidal soap
If you have sprayed water on the leaves, allow the plants to dry and then use organic insecticidal soap. The best time for this is early morning or evening. Note that the best temperature for this soap is below 32 degrees Celsius, and the treatment period lasts 7 to 10 days.
Insecticidal soap or horticultural oil is only effective on adult spider mites and should cover both sides of the leaves. This poison is effective for the red mite and other types of spider mites and can be used to treat the red sensoria mite, the Croton spider mite, and the cactus spider mite.
The point is that if your plant is under water stress or the ambient temperature is very high, you should not use insecticidal soap or horticultural oil. Check the labels of these products and see which plants can withstand the action of this pesticide because some plants are very sensitive and may die. Insecticidal soap (or horticultural oil) is likely to work best for climate-controlled houseplants.
You can also dip a sponge in a soapy solution and wipe the plant to remove the spider mite. You should do this until all signs of ticks are gone for good.
How insecticidal soap works
The soapy liquid covers the body of the spider mite and suffocates small insects and mites. The fatty acids in the soap also penetrate the pests and cause them to become dehydrated and die. These insecticidal soaps are safe for children and pets and suitable for organic gardening practices.
Diatomaceous earth
Diatomaceous earth, made from the fossils of aquatic organisms, is an organic pesticide that effectively kills spiders and deadly insects and is harmless to humans. Sprinkle the appropriate version of this soil on infected plants and soil. Diatomaceous earth destroys the exoskeleton of spider mites and kills them.
Specific poisons such as abamectin (Vertimec), amitraz (Maytak), propagit (Amate), and tetradifon (Tedion) can be used to control ticks.
A very important point in the use of poisons: Insecticides are toxic substances, pay attention to the manufacturer’s instructions when using them and use them with safety precautions. It is easy to name a few poisons but to avoid any problems, please ask the opinion of herbalists who usually work in seed and poison stores to choose a poison.
4- Biological methods
There are various methods to eliminate spider mites in houseplants biologically, which are mostly used in greenhouses and large places:
- Use of Stethorus gilvifrons
- Use of Orius minotum
- Use of Anystis baccarum
- Use of Phytoceiulus persimilis (4 mites are released per plant).
- Use of Zetzellia mali
- Use of Typhlodromus keetanehi
Conclusion of getting rid of spider mites
In this article, we tried to discuss the reasons and how to get rid of spider mites on houseplants. The first thing you should do is if you see signs of ticks in the plant, immediately separate it from the rest of the plants and take the initial measures mentioned for it. Never go to spraying first. If you have an opinion or experience about the spider mite of houseplants, please post it in the comment section.