Rating of the best spider mite remedies for 2022

Finding an effective remedy for spider mites is not difficult: there are more than 100 drugs on sale today that, when treated with plants, kill all active stages of tetranychids.

Moreover, even with some folk remedies it is possible to wage a completely effective fight against these pests.

But choosing from them the optimal remedy for a particular situation is already a bit of a problem. At a minimum, because you still need to understand their diversity and understand what advantages and disadvantages need to be taken into account when choosing a product.

How to detect spider mites?

They often hide in leaves or soil. If there are too many pests, they will be quite noticeable. You should not look for individuals or their thin, barely noticeable webs, but for the skins that they leave behind after molting. They can be found on the back side of the foliage, which is a favorite place for these arthropods. Externally, the skins resemble small flakes of dandruff and are grayish or white in color.

There are several obvious signs by which you can determine that your green pet has been attacked by a spider mite (control and prevention measures are described in the article):

• the appearance of light or pale yellow spots on the leaves;
• the presence of small scales on the underside of the sheet;
• thin web on leaf blades.

Signs and Symptoms of Plant Infestation

A plant infected with spider mites

At the initial stage, the small pest does not manifest itself in any way. During this period, you can only notice a thin silvery cobweb on the shoots and on the bottom of the leaves.

As the population of the colony increases, other signs of its presence are already visible.

• Brown spots appear on the leaves where they are punctured by a thin proboscis . These are dead tissues devoid of plant juice. They grow and merge into large formations.
• their secretions on the underside . They look like small black or rusty specks and are easily removed.
• Injured leaves begin to turn yellow , curl and dry out.
• Wilting affects young shoots and buds.
• The plant slows down its growth and development. In the stage of severe damage, it dies completely.

Why are spider mites dangerous?

Spider mites feed on plant sap and infect them with viral infections and gray rot spores that cannot be treated. The external color of the insect is green, yellow or red. It depends on the type of spider mite. The females of this insect reproduce at the “speed of light” - they are capable of hatching up to 100 eggs in a week.

You can notice the appearance of the pest by white dots on the back of plant leaves and a thin cobweb. The mite captures the plant, destroys its cells and slows down the process of photosynthesis. As a result, it gradually dies.

The following symptoms of infection are also identified:

• Falling of leaves and flowers;
• Slow growth;
• Excrement in the form of black spots;
• Many ticks hanging on the web.

There are four types of spider mites. The common one is omnivorous and can live in any climate except Antarctica. Red – loves ornamental plants. Atlantic - harms cucumbers. Turkestan - feeds on ornamental and garden crops.

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What cultures does it live on?

In the greenhouse, spider mites most like to settle on cucumbers.

They can also eat:

• Tomatoes
• Pepper
• Eggplants
• Melons
• All kinds of cereals

The tick can also settle in beds, but it doesn’t particularly like them, because it lives much better in a greenhouse.

Recipes

There are traditional methods of fighting spider mites. We present to you several effective recipes for homemade decoctions and infusions against ticks.

Soap solution

It can be used on both indoor greenhouse plants .

For processing in a greenhouse you will need a concentrated soap solution.

In a bucket of warm water, dilute 200 grams of laundry soap , crushed on a coarse grater.

The resulting solution is infused for 2-3 hours, mixed well and sprayed on the infected plantings. Instead of soap, you can use dishwashing detergent diluted in water.

Indoor plants are wiped with a sponge well soaped with laundry soap. Particular attention is paid to leaves and stems. Be sure to process the pot and lightly spray the soil around the plant.

It is important not to let the soap solution get on the roots , as this can lead to the death of the flower.

The treated plant is left for 3-4 hours , then the soap suds are washed off and covered with a plastic bag for a day to maintain high humidity.

Sulfur-tar soap for spider mites is a fairly effective and proven remedy. Add 100 grams of crushed sulfur-tar soap to a bucket of water and spray it weekly. This treatment is repeated 2-3 more times.

Suitable for both indoor and garden plants. After such treatment, the spider mite is guaranteed to disappear .

Alcohol solution

Ammonia is used . A solution of ammonia is made at the rate of 30 ml per bucket of water (10 l). This product can be used to wipe leaves and treat the greenhouse.

A soap-alcohol solution is also used on indoor plants. Dissolve 20-30 grams of soap in 1 liter of boiling water, cool and pour in 10-20 ml of alcohol. Carefully process the plant and top layer of soil.

Garlic

With its help you can make several types of infusion :

1. Grind 30 grams of garlic , add a bucket of hot water and leave for a day. The finished infusion is filtered and the affected leaves are treated.
2. You can finely chop 500 grams of garlic , add 3 liters of water and leave in a dark place for 5-6 days. Then strain the infusion, pour 60 grams and dilute it in a bucket of water. You can add 50 grams of laundry soap there.
3. Chopped garlic (200 g) is stirred in a bucket of water and sprayed immediately , without infusion.
4. There are situations when a houseplant does not tolerate spraying (for example, succulents). In this case, chopped garlic is placed in a small container, placed next to the plant and the whole thing is covered with a bag for 1-2 hours .

Onion

Onion infusion also helps well in the fight against ticks. To prepare it, you need to 200 grams of fresh onion peel into a bucket of well-warm water and put it in a warm place for 12 hours. The resulting infusion is filtered, squeezed and sprayed on the plants.

For indoor plants, you can simply wipe the leaves and stems . The procedure is carried out weekly for 1-2 months.

Decoctions and infusions of herbs

Dandelion also helps a lot in the fight against ticks. To do this, 30-40 grams of medicinal dandelion roots are crushed and poured with a liter of water. The plant is left to infuse for several hours and processed.

A decoction of cyclamen roots saves indoor plants. Boil 50 grams of roots in 0.5 liters of water and filter. The resulting decoction can be used to wipe the leaves and stems. After 5 days, the procedure is repeated.

The yarrow infusion is prepared as follows: 700-800 grams of dry leaves are infused in 10 liters of boiling water. After 3 days, it can be used to treat both greenhouse and indoor plants.

An infusion of potato tops also helps a lot against spider mites: 1 kg of fresh tops is crushed and filled with a bucket of water.

Leave for 3-4 hours and filter. Can be used for greenhouse treatment.

Infusion and decoction of black henbane . This plant is extremely poisonous, but if you are careful, you can get rid of the tick forever.

To infuse, pour 1 kg of henbane into a bucket of water and leave for 10 hours. Then strain and add 20 grams of laundry soap. You can take 2 kg of fresh henbane, add water and cook for 2-3 hours. After filtering, add 10 liters of water to the broth.

Horseradish infusion : 1 kg of finely chopped horseradish roots is poured into a bucket of cold water. Leave for several hours and treat the plants.

A decoction of gray alder leaves is prepared from 2 kg of fresh leaves filled with a bucket of water. It is infused for 24 hours, then it is boiled for half an hour and infused again for 12-13 hours.

Wormwood decoction helps not only in the fight against ticks, but also against many other pests. Add 800 grams of dry wormwood to a bucket of water and leave for 2 days. Then cook for half an hour, filter and add another 10-12 liters of water.

This decoction is good for spraying greenhouse plantings.

Reproduction and development of spider mites

The fertility of ticks depends on the climate, time of year, the nutritional value of the plant on which they find themselves, the age of the females, and much more. Spider mites reproduce especially actively in dry weather at temperatures above 25°C. In tropical latitudes and greenhouses, their reproduction occurs continuously throughout the year. These arachnids can produce up to 20 generations in 12 months. In temperate climates, spider mite offspring appear once a year; in favorable weather, this number increases.

Fertilization in spider mites is not the same as in other acariform species: it is internal and occurs without the deposition of spermatophores (capsules filled with seminal fluid). Virgin development (without the participation of male reproductive cells) is also found. Unfertilized eggs produce only males with a single (haploid) set of chromosomes.

The development cycle of spider mites consists of the following phases:

1. Egg

The spider mite egg is round, translucent, 1 mm in diameter. On average, per day, females lay 7 eggs with a stalk to attach them to a leaf or web. In summer, in temperate climates, they place eggs on the lower surface of leaves, and in winter they hide future offspring in cracks in the bark or in fallen leaves. Thus, at the egg stage, spider mites can easily survive the winter.

1. Hemispherical larva

The spider mite larva is similar in lifestyle to the adult, but unlike it, it has 6 legs.

1. Protonymph

It is slightly larger than a larva, with 4 pairs of legs and coloring characteristic of the species.

1. Deutronymph

This stage is observed only in females. Males have only one nymph stage.

1. Adult tick that looks like a larva (neoteny)

Neoteny is a phenomenon in which the achievement of sexual maturity and the end of ontogenesis occurs at early stages of development, for example, at the larval stage.

Spider mites become adults 10–20 days after emerging as eggs. At all stages except the larval stage, they have 8 legs.

How to fight spider mites?

Only consistency and methodology will help you completely get rid of annoying parasites. If systemic spraying is not used, they will develop resistance to poisons and their population will continue to grow.

The fight must be comprehensive

1. As soon as you find traces of mites on one of the plants, you should immediately begin spraying absolutely all flowers with one of the selected preparations. If the infection has already gone too far, you will also have to treat all surfaces in your home.
2. Affected and dry leaves should not be left on the plants - they should be urgently removed and taken out of the house, it is best to burn them.
3. Indoor flowers need to be “bathed” using a shower. The temperature can be set to 40-48°C.
4. There are flowers that cannot be washed with water, in which case use a steam bath . This is done like this: flowers are brought into the bathroom, and then hot water is run for 20 minutes. Carry out this manipulation 2 times a week.

Important Tips:

1. It is necessary to disinfect the pallets using boiling water.
2. You should carefully study the instructions for the selected drug and strictly adhere to it when processing leaves and soil.
3. If all these measures do not lead to the desired result, you should slightly increase the amount of the toxic substance . After treatment with the solution, the infected specimen should be tied with a plastic bag and placed in a shaded place.
4. to treat the flower pot , all surfaces of the window, as well as the surfaces adjacent to it with special care
5. In order for the parasites to completely disappear, you should treat the flowers once every 3 days . It will be better if you alternate between different drugs for treatment, or, as an addition, use folk remedies.
6. First aid depends on how much the plant is affected by parasites. If detected in a timely manner, when there are still very few mites, they can be removed from the flower mechanically, by wiping with a soft sponge soaked in a soap solution.
7. At an early stage of the disease, herbal and vegetable decoctions can also help; steamed flowers, which have a strong smell, are also perfect for washing infected plants.
8. If it was still not possible to avoid a severe infection with parasites, it is best to use biological products; When cobwebs appear and the green crown falls off, only chemicals will help.

When you are sure that the parasites are completely defeated, be sure to transplant the flower into a new pot with fresh substrate. And don’t forget to take care of the root system: it’s better to play it safe and treat it with one of the protective biological products.

Types of spider mites

Each type of mite prefers to feed on the sap of certain plants. Therefore, it is advisable to know on which plants which mites settle. For example:

• Red tick. Prefers flowers such as balsam, lemon, rose, orchid.
• The broad mite is found on ficus, oleander, some types of cactus, and euonymus.
• Atlantic tick. It prefers to live on palm trees and citrus fruits, as well as on other plants. Lover of high humidity.
• Cactus mite or bryobia. As a rule, this parasite chooses exotic plants.
• Clover mite. Prefers bulbous plants, euonymus, orchids, ficus, peneromia.
• Cyclamen mite. Chooses flowers such as pelargonium, balsam, violet, chrysanthemum, gloxinia.
• Common tick. It can be seen on rose, dracaena, balsam, fuchsia.
• False tick. A very small parasite that is difficult to recognize with the naked eye. In addition, he does not spin webs. As a rule, most of the flowers on which this dangerous parasite has settled die.

Types of ticks and danger

Such small pests settle on home plants in accordance with their taste preferences. Some people cannot tolerate aloe, others cannot tolerate plants of the Gesneriaceae family, etc.

The number of species of ticks exceeds several thousand, the most common of which are:

• Common or white mites are light-colored spiders, the most dangerous and widespread, living on the back of leaves and young shoots. When they multiply strongly, they are able to crawl onto neighboring plants. The first sign of their appearance on a flower: yellow spots and a thin web that entangles green shoots and leaves.
• Red mites are microscopic brightly colored insects that attack indoor orchids, roses, and lemon trees; are among the most dangerous and rare.
• Flat cactus or bryobia - affect exotic plantings, leaving yellow dotted stripes on the greenery, the eggs are orange, and the clutch is located in a chain along the leaf veins.
• False mites are the smallest even among their fellow mites, which is why they quietly damage plants, which become covered with cobwebs and quickly wither.
• Cyclamenaceae - settle in the soil, in tubers and on plant leaves; outwardly, their colonies look like dust, which makes detection difficult.

Where do spider mites come from on houseplants?

There are a great many sources of spider mites appearing on house plants . We list both the most basic and the most unexpected, at first glance, routes of infection:

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Most often, the tick “arrives” in the house on the leaves of purchased indoor plants . All flower growers unanimously repeat: if you bought a new flower in a store or from hand, do not immediately place it on your plants. Place the newcomer in quarantine on a separate windowsill, or better yet, immediately wash the crown of the plant with laundry soap and carry out preventive spraying with any pest control agent.

The second most “popular” route of infection is flower bouquets . If you brought a bouquet of your garden flowers or were given one for a holiday, try to place the vase with flowers away from indoor plants.

In third place, spider mite infection through the ground . Experienced gardeners never prepare planting mixtures in the same room where the plants are located. Spider mite eggs can sleep peacefully in the ground for up to 5 years, waiting for favorable conditions. Any soil, forest garden soil or store-bought soil, must be calcined in the oven, because it may contain many dangerous bacteria, fungal spores and pest eggs.

The fourth way to become infected with mites perfectly explains how they “out of the blue” appear on plants. Attention! Spider mites can fly! Of course, they do not have wings, but the thin webs produced by the glands of the tick can serve as an excellent parachute, allowing them to soar with the wind over vast distances.

Bottom line

Spider mites can appear on absolutely any crop. At the beginning of an infection, it is very difficult to recognize the problem, since the pest most often hides on the inside of the leaves. However, at the first symptoms, immediate action must be taken. Since the insect multiplies very quickly and in a short time can destroy the entire area. For a quick and effective fight, it is necessary to use special preparations. The rating of the best effective anti-spider mite products for 2022 describes all the advantages and disadvantages, and makes the choice easier.

Plan for treating plants with drugs

The plant treatment scheme is directly linked to the biological development cycle of the spider mite.

• The first spraying is aimed at destroying the bulk of adult individuals. Regardless of the drugs used, the majority of pests (70-80%) will be destroyed.
• The second should be carried out a week later, when new individuals hatch from the eggs.
• A third spraying is carried out again a week later for final destruction.
• Many experienced indoor crop lovers add a fourth spraying to eliminate possible remnants of the population.

Types of parasites and why they are dangerous

Biologists classify ticks as arachnids, a type of arthropod. This classification is possible due to the special structure of its body. That is why all insecticides against mites used against other insects are powerless. They need other means. There are more than 2,000 different species of ticks in nature. They can be found in every corner of the globe.

The following species pose the greatest danger to indoor plants:

• The common spider mite is absolutely omnivorous, affecting up to 200 species of plants;
• red spider mite - specializes in indoor plants and is most dangerous for them;
• red-legged spider mite;
• Turkestan cotton spider mite.

The community of these microscopic arthropods has not been fully studied, so the discovery of other species is possible.

The main food of any representative from the above list is plant juice. Indoor flowers deprived of it quickly weaken and die. What is the danger of spider mites?

They are difficult to detect

The size of an adult individual, regardless of the species, is no more than 1 mm, and the color – greenish-brown in different shades – allows it to easily blend into the foliage. Only wintering females are brightly colored. The mite lives on the underside of leaves, so its colony is not noticeable.

They multiply quickly

The tick's reproduction cycle, called metamorphosis, can last from a month to a week and depends on the ambient temperature. At a temperature of about 30 degrees Celsius, the larvae emerge from the eggs within 3 days, and after a few days they are ready to reproduce. Therefore, the tick colony grows very quickly, capturing new territories.

Ease of infection

The pest can be brought into the house with purchased plants or other planting material, with soil, on the soles of shoes and on clothes. Finally, a tick can enter a room through an open window, blown in by the wind, and the number of floors does not play a role here.

The presence of diapause in females

If conditions for development and nutrition become unfavorable, female ticks enter a kind of resting stage, in which they can remain for up to 5 years. But more often they simply settle down for the winter - daylight hours shorter than 17 hours do not allow them to lead an active lifestyle. Mites overwinter on the leaves or in the soil of the pot. They are able to burrow to a depth of 20 cm. Any crack is suitable for them - in a window sill, wall, ceiling, or floor. Females do the same during prolonged heat.

Such features of the life cycle make pest control difficult and lengthy.

Top Chemicals for 2022

When using drugs from this group, it is important to strictly follow the dosage and number of treatments in accordance with the attached instructions. Chemical agents that destroy ticks are divided into two groups:

• insectoacaricides;
• acaricides.

To effectively get rid of the pest, you should alternate products with different components in the composition. Many products cease to perform their function after repeated treatment.

If you need to use chemicals, you must follow a number of simple but important rules:

• During use, wear long sleeves, gloves and a hat to protect skin, mucous membranes and hair. The best place for spraying chemicals is a balcony, loggia.
• For indoor flowers, choose products with toxicity class 3-4. Highly toxic substances are only suitable for outdoor plants.
• In case of serious infection, it is necessary to carry out not one, but 4 treatments with an interval of 5-7 days.

Examples of chemicals and their use are presented in the table:

Due to the fact that all mites are similar in structure, flower growers use drugs used in veterinary medicine to treat animals, for example, Neostomozan.

For treatment to be effective, it is better to alternate the use of acaricides and water procedures. Plants in large tubs, as well as specimens with curled leaves or curly dense crowns, for example, ficus, are best dipped into a bucket with diluted products, greens side down, for 1-2 minutes.

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Sometimes on forums they suggest using Dichlorvos. This should not be done, the product does not help against ticks, but when sprayed in an apartment it is harmful to human health.

Almost everyone has to fight spider mites, which attack vegetable crops in open ground and greenhouses, and also often appear on indoor plants, from time to time. The pest is tiny in size, but can adapt to different living conditions. The only solution is to regularly treat the plants using special means to combat the parasite.

Effective drugs against spider mites will help save flowers in the apartment, protect cucumbers and other vegetable crops in the garden. There are many means available for these purposes. They differ in price, composition and principle of action.

Agrotechnical method

Compliance with agricultural technology will allow you to grow vegetables in a greenhouse without fear of pest invasion. Using agrotechnical techniques, we use knowledge about the preferences of spider mites.

For example, spider mites do not like high temperatures and humid air. But these are the conditions that cucumber plants prefer. If you spray the plants several times a day, the pest will not settle in uncomfortable conditions. The use of a fogger gives good results.

In autumn and spring you should dig the soil deeply. Plant debris should be removed from the greenhouse immediately after the end of the season. Because spores of pathogens and eggs of pests can overwinter on them. Remove weeds in a timely manner, at the initial stages of development.

Chemicals on guard

Chemical plant protection products in vegetable beds are used only as a last resort. If neither biological nor folk measures help, and the spider mite does not leave the greenhouse, “heavy” artillery is used. Trade offers a wide selection of chemicals for processing:

• ExtraFlor Doctor Green;
• Anti-mite;
• Bitoxibacillin;
• Iskra M;
• Craft;
• Clipper;
• Talstar.

When applying agricultural practices using chemicals, you must follow some rules. They are quite simple and compliance will not cause harm to either the plant or the person:

1. Before starting chemical treatment, it is necessary to moisten the soil abundantly.
2. To make the insecticide stick better, add potassium soap to the prepared solution.
3. When spraying plants, try to avoid contact with plant roots. Treat the soil around the crop without sparing the chemical mixture.
4. Be sure to follow the waiting periods indicated for each drug.

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Fitoverm is a safe product

Fitoverm occupies a special place among chemical plant protection products. This drug is harmless to people and animals. There is virtually no waiting period. But it has two disadvantages: a relatively high price and repeated frequent use to achieve a noticeable effect. But, you see, the safety is worth it.

It is important not to forget that after a single treatment it will not be possible to completely destroy the tick. Chemistry is also powerless against eggs. The treatment must be repeated after seven to ten days, replacing the drug. Repeat the spraying procedure 4-5 times. If you approach destruction following all the rules, using control means in combination, you can get rid of spider mites forever.

Special attention! It is not advisable to use chemicals during fruit ripening. But if processing is unavoidable, do not eat vegetables if they come into contact with chemicals.

Folk remedies

It is best to start fighting ticks using traditional methods. Not only will the plants not suffer from them, but nothing will happen to humans either.

1. Fill a bucket of water and pour 30 milliliters of ammonia inside.
2. Mix thoroughly.
3. Water the stems and leaves regularly.
4. Also constantly wipe the walls and doors of the greenhouse with the resulting mixture.

Tomato tops

The tomato tops that remain after harvesting will be an excellent tool in the fight against the pest.

You need to take about 0.5 kg of it and fill it with a bucket of boiling water. Further:

1. place the bucket with tops on the stove and boil for 30 minutes;
2. strain the resulting mixture;
3. add soap shavings to it.

By watering with this mixture, you will get rid of not only ticks. In addition to them, it will be possible to destroy the ubiquitous aphids.

Fumigation

You will have to wait until the end of the summer season - usually this happens in early November.

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Further:

• harvest the remaining harvest;
• water the soil, getting rid of even the tiniest weeds;
• put on a gas mask and protective gloves;
• Moisten the surfaces thoroughly with water;
• place the checkers on stones or metal surfaces and then set them on fire;
• close the door to the greenhouse for several days;
• After this, you need to ventilate the room.

Dry wormwood

1. Collect a kilogram of wormwood and chop the stems.
2. Fill the grass with 10 liters of water.
3. Cover the container with a lid and keep it out of the sun for 2 days.
4. Place the bucket on the fire and wait until it boils.
5. The liquid should bubble for ¼ hour.
6. Dilute the resulting mixture with a bucket of water and begin spraying the greenhouse plants.

Chemical methods

If insects cannot be controlled with folk remedies (or you started the fight too late), chemical methods should be used. But you need to use them extremely carefully so as not to damage the plants and not get poisoned yourself.

Plant Pin

It destroys not only adults, but also their eggs.
The drug looks like special sticks. We will poison ticks like this:

• take a stick and stick it into the ground at a distance of 2 centimeters from the stem (this should be done on each plant);
• water the plant.

After this, the plant pin will be absorbed into the ground. Insects will feel the effect of the drug within a few days. Usually they talk about two days, but most often you need at least 3-4 days.

Fitoverm

One treatment is enough for spider mites to immediately stop reproducing. But the remedy is suitable only when there are still few insects.

How to use:

• pour 2 liters of water into a bucket;
• open the ampoule of the drug and mix it in a bucket;
• then pour more water and mix thoroughly again;
• pour the resulting mixture next to the plants.

Aktellik

The drug is poisonous to humans, so you need to wear gloves, a protective mask and a reliable headgear. If possible, wear protective clothing. You can use a robe. When diluting the drug, act only strictly according to the instructions. It is forbidden to deviate from it.

At the same time, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences Tatyana Steinert says that due to its toxicity, the drug is now used mainly in industrial greenhouses.

Actellik is used as follows:

• dilute the drug in a small amount of water;
• bring the emulsion concentration to 1 mm per 1 liter. working solution;
• Apply the resulting solution generously to the plant leaves.

Prevention of spider mite infestation of indoor plants

To protect flowers, minimize the risk of infection and not waste energy on treatment, it is better to perform the following preventive actions:

• Exercise caution when purchasing new plants or replanting existing ones.
• Conduct regular inspections for the presence of parasites.
• Disinfect the substrate, expanded clay for drainage, purchased in the store, with a solution of potassium permanganate or bake on a baking sheet (baking sleeve) in the oven for 40 minutes at a temperature of +180 °C. Another way is to steam the soil in a sieve with a layer of gauze in a water bath for 20 to 90 minutes. After the procedures, it is important to add yeast or other bacterial fertilizer.
• Treat with special fungicides such as Fitosporin, Alerin, Agat, Baktofit.
• Carry out a 2-3 week quarantine for newly arrived specimens.
• Give the greenery a periodic shower.
• To humidify the air by spraying from a spray bottle, however, it is best to purchase a humidifier.

Spider mites are a dangerous pest that damage a wide variety of indoor plants and cause trouble for gardeners. However, by following simple rules, performing preventive actions and carrying out consistent, systematic treatment, you can reduce the risk of infection to a minimum.

Prevention

Photo: Eran Finkle
It is known that it is better to prevent the appearance of parasites than to fight them. If you do not want to risk your collection, observe the following conditions:

• Be sure to treat the soil before planting or replanting plants. It is best to fry soil, sand, expanded clay or other drainage in the oven or microwave.
• Only a purchased plant cannot be placed directly with home ones. Pre-treat him with one of the anti-tick products. After 4–5 days, rinse with clean water. Only then add a new copy to your collection.
• Don't forget to shower your plants regularly. Spider mites avoid high humidity. Once every 7-10 days, give the plants a bath or at least thoroughly spray them with a spray bottle.
• Periodically take your pets out into the fresh air and sunlight. The microscopic parasite does not tolerate ultraviolet radiation. Just don't keep the plants in direct sunlight for too long to prevent them from getting burned.

Spider mites pose a danger to houseplants. But it is quite possible to defeat him. Effective preparations that are successfully used by many gardeners will come to your aid.

Prevention of pest occurrence

In addition to means of combating spider mites, comprehensive prevention is also important.

It can be divided into 3 stages:

• in the spring - preparation;
• all season - current;
• before wintering - final.

In the spring, you need to clean the room after wintering and sterilize the soil. For this:

• wash the greenhouse structure with soapy water, after adding chlorine to it;
• dig up the soil to 25-30 cm;
• treat it with boiling water;
• cover the soil tightly with film for 3 days;
• fumigate the room with sulfur bombs;
• spill the soil with a one percent manganese solution.

During ongoing prophylaxis:

• high humidity must be maintained in the greenhouse;
• plant plants at a distance of one and a half meters;
• regularly inspect planted vegetables;
• remove parts of leaves on bushes;
• mulch the soil;
• spray the soil and plants with onion infusion.

Autumn:

• completely remove plant debris and various auxiliary structures;
• Dig the soil carefully, adding lime or phosphate fertilizers.

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How to treat a greenhouse

You can say goodbye to the pest once and for all only with a comprehensive confrontation with it. Therefore, I do not forget about processing not only during the season, but before it begins and after it ends.

How to get rid of spider mites in a greenhouse in the spring

In the spring, any greenhouse needs general cleaning and disinfection. I conduct simple traditional events:

1. Deep digging of the substrate.
2. Disinfection by pouring boiling water. To prolong the effect that is destructive for eggs and larvae of pests, I cover the soil after watering with a thick film. The hot steam will continue to have a derogatory effect.
3. Disinfection with manganese solution. I water the greenhouse substrate with a 1% suspension of potassium permanganate.

If ticks settled in the greenhouse last summer, preventative fumigation with a sulfur bomb would not be amiss.

autumn digging in the greenhouse

How to get rid of spider mites in a greenhouse in the fall

At the end of the season, I turn to a simple treatment:

1. I remove and destroy all plant remains - tops, roots, fruits.
2. I disinfect auxiliary structures - trellises, pegs, garters - with a solution of potassium permanganate.
3. I wash the interior surfaces of the greenhouse with a chlorine solution.
4. I carry out a deep digging of the earth, having previously scattered lime or phosphate preparations over the ridge. These fertilizers have a negative effect on spider mites.

If arachnids have settled in the greenhouse in the summer, I turn to additional treatment:

1. I wash the internal surfaces and glass with a 20% alcohol solution.
2. I treat the soil with a solution of colloidal sulfur (100 g per 10 liters of water).

To reach hard-to-reach places, I spray all secluded places and recesses in the greenhouse with disinfectant solutions from a sprayer. All kinds of pests often stay there for the winter.

What do you need to know about it?

A small bug up to 0.5 mm, it is impossible to discern the population on the plant with the naked eye. But the damage caused to culture is immediately visible. Despite its name, this pest is not related to mites, so many chemicals aimed at killing insects do not affect it.

Spider mites are arachnids. The insects have different colors: green in the summer and brownish-brown in the winter. They form their populations on the inside of the leaf.

Reference. When a plant is infected by this parasite, the leaves become covered with white or brown spots, and only then does it become clear that the population has reached large sizes.

It is difficult to destroy the pest - it is very viable. Even if the plant is placed in unfavorable conditions, the mite will not die, but will simply hibernate and wait for the right moment.

Spider mites are very common; they do not live only in Antarctica. But the most favorable conditions for reproduction and life are: temperature 20-35 degrees with air humidity 30-55%.

In June, the pest begins to actively reproduce in the open air, and in early September it goes into hibernation. To get rid of the pest, treatment must be carried out during the active period of life.

In an apartment, this pest can hide under the baseboards in the cracks of the window sill, crawl along the walls and ceiling. In winter, it may seem that it is not there, but as soon as a favorable period arrives, it will immediately move to indoor plants.

It is also worth knowing that a clutch of spider mite eggs remains viable for 5 years. You can bring this parasite home with clothes on the web.

Biological method

You can fight arthropods with other mites - predators. The advantage of the method is its safety for humans and animals. It is necessary to put the “saviors” in the flowerpot: Amblysei and Phytoseiulus. Each of these predators eats ten eggs or five spider mites per day. Once all the parasites are eaten, the arthropods that have completed their mission will die themselves.

You can buy raptors at a flower shop or garden center; they are sold in paper bags. The bag should be opened, hung on the affected plant, and the job is done.

Other folk recipes

In addition to the folk methods of killing spider mites described above, there are other time-tested recipes.

Herbal infusions for spraying:

• 
  Infuse 100 g of red hot pepper in a liter of water for 3 hours;

• Leave 120 g of potato tops in a liter of water for 2-3 hours;
• Infuse 40 g of dandelion leaves in water - 1 liter, 2 hours;
• 80 g of yarrow flowers, you can take dry herbs, pour 1 liter of boiling water, cool and leave for 2 days;
• Chop 40 g of tomato leaves, brew for 2 hours, cool and spray on flowers.

Reference. All folk formulations are used every 5 days.

You can read more about how to deal with spider mites on indoor and garden plants here.

How to choose a pest control product

First of all, the drug is selected depending on the area being treated: house, balcony, vegetable garden or garden. When processing at home, it is necessary to take into account the chemical nature of the drug and have personal protective equipment.

All pest control drugs are divided into four main groups:

• Contact - ticks die immediately upon contact with the sprayer.
• Intestinal - ticks eat poison along with food.
• Fumigants - act on insects using vapors.
• Systemic - penetrate into the sap of plants on which ticks feed.

Also, when disinfecting, it is important to consider the hazard class of the drug.

• Class 4 – should only be used once.
• Class 3 – kills larvae, dangerous for bees.
• Class 2 – dangerous to humans, fatal to bees and fish.
• Class 1 - can only be used outside residential premises.

Features of the pest

Spider mites look like a small elliptical spider. It is problematic to see the small parasite, especially since its color (light green, brownish or whitish) camouflages it perfectly. Less common are red or orange varieties.

Varieties

In total, there are more than 1,200 species of spider mites. Only a few of them can attack indoor flowers. The table below shows the characteristics of the most common species that are dangerous to houseplants.

Table - Pest varieties dangerous for indoor flowers

Life activity

Parasites usually “live” on the back of the leaf, in pieces of soil, under fallen leaves. The difficulty of controlling arthropods is due to three factors.

1. Fertility. The lifespan of a female tick is less than a month, but every three days she lays a hundred eggs. Therefore, parasites “populate” the plant with entire colonies.
2. Viability. Parasite eggs can remain dormant for up to five years. And not only on the leaves and stems of the plant, but also in the cracks of the windowsill, in the flower tray and in broken pots. In unbearable conditions, females sneak underground or hide in secluded places, falling into a special state - diapause, when life processes slow down.
3. Invisibility. Often the presence of an insect is detected when the condition of the plant has significantly deteriorated due to the activity of pests.

It takes about a week for the parasite to transition from egg to adult. The egg stage lasts three days, the larval stage lasts one day, and the nymph stage lasts four days.

Reasons for appearing in the house

Experts identify three reasons for the appearance of the pest on indoor plants.

1. Buying an infected plant. Most often, flower growers bring pests from the store.
2. Entry through a window. If there are green spaces on the street near the house, there is a high probability of damage to indoor flowers by mites, which are carried by gusts of wind through an open window, especially if the apartment is located on the lower floors. If the plants are taken out onto the balcony for the summer, the process is simplified.
3. Use of contaminated soil. Unscrupulous suppliers sell soil contaminated with larvae and eggs of parasites. You can bring parasites along with the soil from your garden plot.

Symptoms of infection

Due to the small size of the parasites themselves, it is difficult to notice without such a lens. Usually the presence of parasites is indicated by the consequences of their life. Two signs will help you suspect a plant is infected.

1. Insert. The leaves of the plant are covered with a thin web.
2. Leaf changes. First, whitish or yellowish spots appear on the underside of the leaf, then the leaves dry out, curl into a tube and fall off.

If the described signs are detected, it is necessary to carefully examine the plant: if you try, you may notice small insects, especially if their number is large. The accumulation of arthropod bodies looks like a layer of dust.