How to identify and eliminate red spider mites

While most pests are easy to spot in your garden, some are difficult to see with the naked eye. One example is the red spider mite. This pest is less than 1/64 of an inch long and only makes itself known when your plants start to suffer. Here’s how to spot red spider mites and eliminate them.

Appearance and behavior
Unlike the name suggests, red spider mites come in various colors, including brown, orange, and green. They suck the nutrients and chlorophyll directly from your plant, which causes the leaves to turn yellow and dry out. If left unchecked, this can cause the plant to die. Moreover, red spider mites don’t act alone. In fact, a single plant can be attacked by hundreds or thousands of mites.

The easiest way to spot red spider mites is to use a magnifying glass. You can also try pressing the plant’s foliage onto a sheet of white paper. If the paper becomes covered in tiny, moving specks, your plant is probably infested.

Control and elimination
Red spider mites thrive in hot, dry weather. Therefore, regularly watering helps prevent them from multiplying. Additionally, you can use a powerful spray nozzle to blast red spider mites off the leaves of your plants. However, if one plant is infested, you may want to dig it up to prevent it from contaminating nearby vegetation.

Finally, if you suffer from repeated red spider mite infestations, you can encourage or purchase predatory insects to take care of the problem. You can also use horticultural oil or insecticidal soap to keep these pests under control.