It is important to monitor your plants regularly for all types of pests. While your plants may seem fine, upon closer inspection you might see a problem that is about to start. The earlier you identify and start to treat any pest, the easier it will be.
Spider mites suck the life out of your leaves making them turn yellow and fall off. Spider mites can be extremely difficult to deal with once they take over your plant, and if left unattended, they can kill your plants.
Spider mites are almost impossible to see with the naked eye, and the first sign of them is often their webs. Spider mite webs look almost like regular spider webs, except they are more compact. You also probably won't be able to see the actual spider mites on the web without a magnifying glass. Webs will be on the top of the soil, on the leaves, and between stems.
If you think it might just be a regular spider, you are probably wrong unless you can actually see the spider.
Another sign of spider mites is black dots on the back of your leaves. These dots are spider mite eggs.
To find out how to get rid of spider mites go to my post Spider Mite Help.
A trick that I have found to monitor your plants for spider mites it to spray them with water. Water makes the webs more visible so that you do not miss them. The water also acts as a way to deter spider mites as they do not like moist environments.
Leafy plants are more susceptible to spider mites than plants that do not have a lot of leaves like cactus. This does not mean that spider mites will not get on your plants that do not have a lot of leaves, but you should make sure to inspect your leafy plants a little closer.
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| Spray Bottle filled with water. |
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| Before water spray |
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| Spray with water |
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| Webs are now visible |
Make sure to regularly check your plants for pests. It is much easier to deal with a small spider mite problem on one plant than an infestation on all your plants!
Checking your plants at least once a week is the best way to go. As soon as you notice a problem, make sure to separate that plant from the rest of your plants to prevent spread. If you keep your plants placed tightly together, spider mites can easily jump plant to plant.
Wash your hands and tools between dealing with one plant to another. Even if you do not see any pests, it is a good precaution to take.
If it doesn't seem like spider mites are your problem, you may have some other type of pests. Some common types are aphids, mealybugs, scale, and thrips.
Good Luck!
Lily's Indoor Jungle
