How do I control spider mites?

How do I combat Spider Mites?

Do you have brown or yellow spots on the leaves of your green indoor plant? This could mean that your indoor plant is suffering from a plant disease or pest. When there is a spider mite infestation on your indoor plant, you will see brown or yellow spots that can become larger over time. Eventually, the entire leaf can turn brown.

When bringing an indoor plant into your home, it’s helpful to know which plant diseases exist, how to recognize them, and how to combat pests. Spider mites are not insects but rather relatives of spiders. These tiny creatures are difficult to see with the naked eye, but they are visible under a microscope. You don’t need a microscope to determine if your indoor plant has a disease or pest issue. This is usually recognizable through discolorations on the leaves or stems.

What are spider mites exactly?

Spider mites are not the same as aphids but rather a pest of tiny mites that infest your indoor plant. They often live on the underside of the leaves and have a white, green, or yellow color. Spider mites feed on the sap that comes from the leaves; by puncturing small holes into the leaves, they can suck out the nutrients. They essentially drain all the life force from the leaves of your indoor plant, which over time causes small brown or yellow spots. The longer the spider mites are allowed to stay, the more of these spots you will see. Eventually, they spin fine webs that you can see between the leaf tips and stems of your indoor plant.

It’s difficult to detect the mites with the naked eye because they are extremely small. Spider mites have a round or oval body that is usually less than 1 millimeter long. They can be red, brown, white, or transparent. With a magnifying glass, you can often see better what kind of pest is on your indoor plant, and more easily identify the eggs and young mites.

What you should know about spider mites:

Spider mites thrive at higher temperatures. At 30°C, it only takes 7 days for an egg to develop into an adult spider mite, which then begins to reproduce. At a temperature of 20°C, this cycle extends significantly to about 17 days. Below 12°C, the development of the eggs stops completely. However, this does not mean that the eggs will never hatch; they simply wait for rising temperatures.

Spider mites prefer dry conditions and do not thrive in a humid environment. Therefore, it is advisable to regularly spray the leaves with a plant spray, especially on the underside, when dealing with a spider mite infestation.

How can you prevent spider mites on your indoor plant?

The spider mite infestation is difficult to prevent because the mites are so small and always find a way to crawl to new leaves via our hands, clothing, or through the wind. But complete prevention is not impossible! There are some conditions that make it especially attractive for spider mites to settle in your home. By taking these factors into account, you can help prevent them from feeling comfortable in your space.

Spider mites thrive in dry and warm conditions. During hot and dry periods, it’s wise to always have a plant spray on hand. The mist that comes from the plant spray is unpleasant for the spider mites, making them less attractive to settle on your indoor plants. Make sure you also spray the underside of the leaves well!

Mites love old, nutrient-poor soil. Make sure to repot your indoor plants every 2 to 3 years at a minimum. No time to repot immediately? Then temporarily add a new layer of soil. Fresh soil is unappealing to spider mites.

Ensure that your indoor plants are healthy! A healthy indoor plant is more resilient and can even help drive spider mites away on its own. This may sound surprising, but it really works!

What can you do against spider mites?

Did the spider mite infestation manage to settle, and do you want to know what you can do to get rid of them? While it can sometimes be challenging to combat spider mites, we’ve gathered some effective tips for you!

First, take your pruning shears and cut away all the infested parts of your indoor plant. Be mindful that your hands, clothing, and the pruning shears can act as carriers for the mites, possibly spreading them to other parts of your house.

Wait until it’s evening and fill a plant spray with cold water. Then add 2% dish soap and 1% rubbing alcohol and shake well. Spray your indoor plant under the leaves with this mixture, especially the underside of the leaves. Why in the evening? In the evening, the eggs hatch, and by spraying at this time, you poison the very first, youngest mites.

Repeat spraying with the plant spray several times until you feel that the reproduction of spider mites has effectively stopped.

If you find that these methods are not sufficient to combat the spider mite infestation, you can consider releasing predatory mites. These natural enemies feed on spider mites and will ensure that you no longer need to worry about the infestation.

What are the consequences of a spider mite infestation?

Don’t worry if you suffer from a spider mite infestation on your indoor plant or have suffered from it. Often, indoor plants survive these infestations, especially if you take quick action and prevent further spread with our tips. When the mites also infest other large indoor plants, it becomes more challenging to get rid of an infestation.