Spider Mites
 

Any suggestions on a pesticide for spider mites? I've gone as drastic as spraying with 7 bi-weekly but I'm still having problems! Any help would be appreciated.Thanx-Nate:confused:

Re: Spider Mites
 

Spinosaid will definately take care of them. It is a bacteria that attacks the buggers. Note that it can only be used six times per growing season, which in Florida translates to a year.

Another great solution is "Green Light Fruit Tree Spray with Spinosaid" - an all-in-one certified organic product.

:2723:

Re: Spider Mites
 

Just spray with soap water everyday for a couple of weeks. Soap kills them by softening their exoskeleton.

Re: Spider Mites
 

Soap also raises the pH of the soil. If your soil is not very acidic, this can be a problem in the long run.

Re: Spider Mites
 

Hey ya'll,

Been a while since my last post. I just hosed down my overwintered nanners with a Green Light product. I use the Organic Rose and Flower concentrate. I have had great success with spider mites...well getting rid of them. It also seems to work pretty well against worms. Both parasites just kinda wiggle a bit then die. The product has Rosemary oil. Smells pretty good in the garage as well.

I hope to get my nanners out in the sun soon. Last night it went down to 34. So I guess it is still a little early.

Re: Spider Mites
 

If you can handle the smell, one ounce fish emultion to a gallon of water in a spray bottle, foliar spray, smells like (well thats a different subject) but it works, and your plants will love it, used it a couple of times this winter, wife and kids won't go in the three season room, but it SPANKS THEM LIL" BUGGERS and their eggs, just living in N. Illinois and a very LONG winter needs more than one spraying,GLOBAL WARMING MY SHOVELING BUTT :basketballnaner:

Re: Spider Mites
 

Hi sorry to hear about your spider mite problem,,ok first of all I battle these guys every winter and all the soap and water in the world wont do anything to your mite problem and almost all the other stuff that is on the market does not work very good either,,I work at a greenhouse were we grow all of our own stuff like 9000 mum plants ,10,000 poinste,,or how ever you spell that word ,,the christmas plant ,so every possible chemical is avalible to me for whatever insect problem we might be having and threw all the chemicals that i have used over the years,,Avid is the best out their to kill your spidermites,Avid is specially made just for spidermites and it works great,,but remember with almost all chemicals try and spray on a cloudy day so for not to burn the leaves of your plants.But their is one problem somewhat recent down in florida they have discovered a new mite that has been brought over from over seas,,it has been found on a few palms so far down in florida,,,and they are really worried because nothing kills this spidermite NOT EVEN AVID!!!!! Hope this was of some help,_Jason.

Re: Spider Mites
 

Thanx guys for all your input. :08:?. Once they go back outside most of the mites will die off, right? What I've read, it sounds like they really attack when the humidity drops during winter. This is the first time I've had this problem and man has it taken a toll on my plants. The mealy bugs have really pestered me too. They dig the banana plants. Little B%!$s chomp on my Siam. That crosses the line. Hopefully I can get my problem under control before I loose any more plants. :0493:And I hope spring hurry's up!-Nate Dogg:dancinpup:

Re: Spider Mites
 

I use pepper wax in my greenhouse. I generally have anywhere from 12000-20000 plants on hand and spray once a month with it. The caipisan, the chemical in peppers, acts on insects neurological processes. Also spraying with water does a lot. One of inkcube's students, she was in a student in his lab when I was, published a paper showing that a spray of water will cause enough damage to a mite's soft body to kill it, also the impact with the ground will do the same. Rubbing alcohol will also do the trick, it disrupts an insect cellular process killing them.

Re: Spider Mites
 

I wonder if they have tried Spinosaid, the bacteria. Probably not. When the citrus leaf miner was found in Florida, Spinosaid was not used to control it and now we are doing it for them in California.

Re: Spider Mites
 

This will do the trick and don't worry about PH as mentioned above. You only need a couple drops of liquid dish soap to a quart spray bottle. Spray plenty on the plant. This will do a number to the critters. Red

I also do this to all my plants that come indoors for the winter to clean them and kill any bug hanging out.

Re: Spider Mites
 

The Red Palm Mite has been creeping closer and closer to S Fla. Check out the following taken from the Florida DOACS. And yes, it does attack bananas and other trops:

Red palm mite Raoiella indica Hirst (Acari: Tenuipalpidae)
Cal Welbourn, [email protected], Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry

INTRODUCTION : Red palm mite, Raoiella indica Hirst (Acari: Tenuipalpidae), is a pest of coconut, areca palm, and date palms in Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Mauritius, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Reunion, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand, United Arab Emerits and is probably widespread in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the Eastern Hemisphere. The first Western Hemisphere report of the red palm mite was in 2004 from the eastern Caribbean island of Martinique (Flechtmann and Etienne 2004, 2005). The mite was confirmed on the islands of Saint Lucia and Dominica in 2005 (Kane et. al., 2005). In 2006 the mite was reported as established in the Domincian Republic, Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin and Trinidad-Tobago (Anonymous 2006, Etianne & Flechtmann 2006, Rodrigues et al. 2007). In 2007 the US Virgin Islands, Granada, Haiti and Jamaica have been added to the list of islands and countries infested with the red palm mite. Gutiérrez et al. (2007) recently reported the red palm mite from the state of Sucre in Venezuela, SA. In all instances, this mite has established itself on various palms (Arecaceae), with significant outbreaks on coconut palms, Cocos nucifera L. In addition, significant infestations have been observed on banana and plantain species (Musa spp., Musaceae) on most islands with additional infestations observed on heliconias (Heliconiaceae), gingers (Zingiberaceae), bird of paradise (Strelitziaceae) and screw pine (Pandanaceae) (Table 1). The explosive appearance of the red palm mite in the Caribbean Region is a serious pest risk for the subtropical areas of the United States, tropical Central and South America and the entire Caribbean Region.

Re: Spider Mites
 

I agree that this approach works great if you are spraying only 1 to a dozen leafs. I have also seen entire garden beds damaged by large-scale application with a tank- or hose-end type sprayer. For example, trying to control aphids in their 5' by 20' rose bed.

Re: Spider Mites
 

Hi Richard,
I have used a dedicated miticide called Kelthane with excellent results in my greenhouse. It works very well for a fast knock down, and I always follow up with some Neem Oil in about 3-5 days to hit stragglers.

The thing that you have to remember about spider mites is that they are arachnids, closely actually related to spiders. That is why many things don't work on them. ALso, they are basically born pregnant so can reproduce extremely quickly, which is why serial treatment is necessary, not optional. At any given time there are adult mites, larvae and eggs present on the plants. Kelthane will help with all 3, then Neem will smother anything left. But repeat the Neem, without fail, every 7 days for 3 weeks.

This works for me.

Re: Spider Mites
 

Systemic insecticide works great if you don't plan on eating the fruit. For ornamentals, etc.

I applied some this fall after an unusually heavy infestation, and I haven't had a single mite since.

Re: Spider Mites
 

These are my last words on the subject. I have done the soap spraying on all my house plants, all my outside landscaping and my entire lawn for the past twenty years and never have had a problem with bugs or plants damaged from the application. If you have bugs, go for the soap. Red

Re: Spider Mites
 

Yep, works great if your soil is naturally acidic. Here in San Diego county, the soil is slightly alkaline and the water is is the same or worse. So in this location and others like it, paying attention to your soil pH makes a difference. This doesn't mean you can't use soap water, it means you might have to correct your soil once a year.

Re: Spider Mites
 

pyrethium bombs work in an enclosed space, but I think you have to do it twice within three days of each other, to kill hatching eggs too. It's supposed to be non toxic, but it could mess up your lungs if you breathed it.
I can remember the name of the organic stuff I used to spray, but it work quite well. It had clove oil, garlic, and alot of other hot type oils, but if you mixed it too strong, or got too much on the soil, then plants hated it.
Plain old water misting(underside of leafs) works if you don't have them too bad.

Re: Spider Mites
 

Most pyrethrins qualify for "organic certification" - even the chemically synthesized ones. If what you meant by "organic" was non-synthesized, then that would also exclude soap. ;)

Re: Spider Mites
 

I was lead to beleive that Spinosaid, the bacteria was used mostly to kill the eggs of the hard to get rid of white flys,,I have never heard of it getting used for anything else,,all is I know is that when the white fly lays its eggs on the under side of plants leaves that this bacteria goes into the egg and feeds on the white fly egg in return killing it before it can even emerge ?????

Re: Spider Mites
 

It not only attacks insect eggs, but larvae such as caterpillars.

The citrus leaf miner, a few varieties of mites and other insect pests can be difficult to purge because the tiny eggs are laid inside the leaf structure. Topical pesticides really don't have much effect. Systemics like Isotox work well, but can't be used on edibles. But to the Spinosaid bacteria, the leaf structure is more like a trellis which is penetrated with ease. I use it once per month for 6 months starting in March or April. However, it is not enough. I also spray once per month staggered 2 week later with a pyrethrin.

Re: Spider Mites
 

I've had the best luck with insecticidal soap, mixed according to label directions, misted with my fogger in the greenhouse. But you could spray it on too just as long as you get good coverage, top and bottom of leaves. Spray it early in the morning or at least a time when the plants aren't in bright sun.
Do this once or twice a week, even though it's a pain in the rear, and it will help. And it won't kill you either, price wise or otherwise, and you can get it locally at lots of stores.
We went on vacation for a week last year in August and it was 100 degrees and we didn't have misters in the greenhouse yet and my daughter was watering for me. She overwatered everything the year before and it was all practically floating when we came back and so I told her this time not to overwater like before. But I didn't realize it was going to be 100 degrees the whole time we were gone! with the exhaust fans running in the greenhouse all day long, the humidity in there was like 20 percent. When we came back, it looked like Halloween in there with all the webs!

Re: Spider Mites
 

That sucks!:2725:

Re: Spider Mites
 

I didn't mean anything by "organic", it just said that on the bottle of the one that has the different types of oils that I sprayed.

Re: Spider Mites
 

Spider mites suck too! LOL....
but I want to hear more about spinosad. Sounds good, too. I've been using botanigard for whiteflies and it seems to work good, but it's a form of bt not spinosad.
About the only affordable thing I've found that works relatively well for spider mites is the insecticidal soap but it might just be the greasiness of it that actually kills them, its pretty greasy stuff.
I like the idea of something that would torture them a little!

Re: Spider Mites
 

Go here: Green Light
Click on "Product Guide", then "Liquid Insecticides", then "Lawn & Garden Spray Spinosad® Concentrate".

Green Light is not the only distributor, for example: Monterey Lawn and Garden Products, Inc.

You'll find this bacteria spelled "Spinosad" and "Spinosaid" depending on the source.

Re: Spider Mites
 

Soap has no effect on exoskeleton of living arthropods. The outer surface of arthropods' respiratory systems is hydrophobic - taking advantage of surface tension of plain water to keep it out of arthropod's body. Adding soap or detergent reduces surface tension drastically, allowing it to bypass the hydrophobic surface, enter the respiratory system and drown the arthropod.

Soapy water is effective on contact with respiratory surfaces. It has no residual effect. Arthropods can escape by hiding in soil or on protected areas of plant. Soapy water can effect the waxy layer (also hydrophobic) on the outer surfaces of stems and leaves, causing discoloration.

Re: Spider Mites
 

Man Lard, What'd ya go to spidermite college?!!

Re: Spider Mites
 

Just finished a mite experiment. All seven of my Gran Nain x Sumatrana pups showed signs of mite reinfestation. Put three of them OUTSIDE of the pool enclosure - left 4 inside. Sprayed only the 4 with malathion. It has always worked, but the mites always returned. The GN cross is the only variety I have, still alive, that is a mite magnet. Oh, and let's not forget the Maurelii's - may all 3 RIP!

Results --------after 2 weeks the mites of the 3 unsprayed, outside pups are free of mites, including the webs. Gotta be the lizards. Maybe the tree frogs helped also. I've always suspected this is how things work here in S Fla, since none of the naners planted in the ground have ever showed spider mite sign. When the malath wears off, after a while, the 4 will go outside too. Don't want to get the critters sick.

Dan

Re: Spider Mites
 

Lard G is right. Soap isn't a totally plant friendly thing. I have had soap burn leaves on so many tropical plants that I won't use it anymore.

Re: Spider Mites
 

You have to make sure with soap of a couple of things. Spray late in the day or on a cloudy (all day) day. And if your plants are extra sensitive, rinse it off the next morning before the sun hits them real good.
Neem oil will burn them nanner leaves off too!

Re: Spider Mites
 

I have a dry hot corner in my greenhouse where spider mites always show up in the winter. I have to relocate some of my misting spray heads so they mist the underside of the leaves. I lay a strip of nozzles on the ground and mist from the ground up. It has been working for me so far.

Re: Spider Mites
 

If I were really an expert I'd know the name of a bug that munches them. Currently, I walk in darkness. Soap is my only friend.

Re: Spider Mites
 

Those would be called predator mites. They come in several varieties and right now is the time to release them in your garden, providing it's early spring where you live. I can tell you from first hand experiance they work great!

Here is a good article on controlling mites.
http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/mites.htm