How to Get Rid of Spider Mites from Houseplants: Spider Mites Treatment


Houseplants Pest, Spider Mite

Spider Mites Identification

Spider Mites are minute sap-sucking insects which infest the underside of leaves of almost all houseplants growing in hot, dry conditions coupled with stagnant air. They may be red, green or yellow in color.

The Spider Mites cause yellow blotches on the upper surface of the leaves and premature leaf fall. A severe infestation by Spider Mites may cause the plant to die.

Look out for white webbing between the leaves and stems. If you hold a white piece of paper under a leaf and tap it, you will see tiny particles crawling around, these are spider mites.

How to Treat Spider Mites on Houseplants

  1. Seperate the infested plant to reduce spread to the rest of the plants.

  2. Remove the heavily infested parts of the plant and destroy to prevent further spread.

  3. Take the plant outside or to a sink and wash the spider mites off with a high pressure stream of lukewarm water. If the plant has delicate foliage, turn it upside down and dip the foliage in a bucket of water to wash off the pests. Repeat as many times as is necessary to get rid of most of the spider mites.

  4. Treat the affected plant with an insecticidal soap or a neem oil as indicated by the manufacturers. Ensure to cover all leaf surfaces, especially the undersides. Repeat the treatment every 5-7 days until the infestation is cleared.

  5. For a heavy Spider Mites infestation, spray the plant with a systemic insecticide as per the manufacturer's recommendations. Repeat the treatment several times to clear the infestation completely. Be sure to thoroughly cover the entire plant with the spray solution.

How to Prevent Spider Mites from Houseplants

  1. Keep your plants healthy at all times, by giving them the right growing conditions, as vigorously-growing plants are less likely to be damaged by pests.

  2. Obtain your plants from trustworthy sources to avoid introducing these pests in your plant collection.

  3. Thoroughly inspect new plants before bringing them in your home and isolate any infested plants until they are free of Spider Mites.

  4. Frequently check the plants for white webbing between the leaves and stems, and take timely control measures.

  5. Remove any dead plant foliage from the plant to get rid of the breeding and hiding grounds for these pests.

  6. Maintain the growing area clean by removal of fallen leaves or plant debris as they can harbor the Spider Mites and/or their eggs.

  7. On a regular basis, clean the leaves to deter the pests.

  8. Raise humidity and improve air flow to depress Spider Mites infestations since they prefer dry, stuffy growing conditions.

You liked it? Share on social media.

Related Content

Amazon Associates Disclosure

Homeplantsguide.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.