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How to Get Rid of Spider Mites

If you're suffering a spider mite infestation among your plants you'll because of the following symptoms: discolored leaves (bronzing), leaf burn, flecking, and the appearance of silk-like webbing between plant leaves. Unfortunately, if you reach the stage where you notice leaf burn and a large number of webs the infestation is already in an advanced stage. But you can learn how to get rid of spider mites nonetheless, and avoid future problems.

Although there are many different varieties of spider mites the one that causes the most damage in North America is that twospotted spider might. This little insect is capable of reproducing very quickly and damaging everything from houseplants to home gardeners to fully operational farms. And while commercial farm operations use large amounts of insecticides, that's not really practical for the home. So what can you do?

Inspect Every Day

You can detect spider mite infestations at the early stages if you inspect plants on a daily basis. Simply turn up the leaves and look for tiny dark spots which resemble rust spots or dirt. If you see these spots you can confirm spider mites by using what's called the "white paper test." Hold a piece of white paper underneath the leaf then gently tap it so that the spots fall to the paper. If they begin to move around, they are most likely spider mites. If they remain stationary you probably just have dirt.

As previously stated, if you've had spider mites long enough you will see silk-like webbing between plants or individual leaves. If you see the same dark spots within the webbing that's a good indication you have spider mite eggs on the verge of hatching.

Water Liberally

On the first signs of spider mites you should immediately water your plants very liberally, all the way to the soil. Spider mites do not thrive in water and cannot hold on to plant leaves that are saturated. By watering them liberally you are flushing the spider mites into the soil. You can also prevent further infestations by frequently spraying your plants and the soil so that it stays moist.

Miticide Control

The next step in getting rid of the spider mites is to apply some sort of chemical or organic miticide. We strongly suggest you stay away from chemical products if at all possible because they often kill the natural predators of spider mites. They are also potentially harmful to your children and pets. Instead, you should use an organic product like Liquid Ladybug that will not harm anything but the mites themselves. Liquid Ladybug kills adult spider mites on contact as well as penetrating eggs and killing hatchlings.

Once you've gotten rid of a spider mites infestation remember to water regularly and continue to use your organic miticide according to the instructions. Usually one application every 30 days or so is sufficient to prevent further infestations