hooks: Try using plain rubbing alcohol (or 409 or Fantastik, or their generic equivalent) on the plant (Spritz it on the leaves and stems). Make sure to water the plant thoroughly as the treatment is slightly drying to the plant, (and thoroughly drying to many insects). It works on ants, and spider mites, mealy bugs etc - so it may work on spiders too. Most 'bug sprays' available for home use are made using pyrethrins - which occur in, or are derived from chemicals that occur in, chrysanthemums, and do not contain active 'heavy chemicals' per se [by which I'm assuming that you mean they are made somehow only from a barrel of 'heavy' crude oil]. Please check out the article on natural carcinogens you are exposed to in a holiday dinner below. The main point is: just because it's manmade doesn't mean it's toxic, and just because it's natural doesn't mean it's safe. Here is a link that might be useful: Carcinogens in a Holiday Dinner

I love spider types. In fact I like most forms. Gey Witch seems to do well for you and the yellow is pretty too. I have Asterisk and really like it. Thanks for posting these photos...Ellie

I had them once on a ever green and before I notice a 2 ft area was dead. I asked a nursery man about it and he said you can't see spider mites. He said to put a white sheet of paper under the area and shake the plant, then rub your fingers across the paper. If there are blood smears they are spider mites.

"I have noticed little clumps of webs. Not spun from leaf to leaf but more like set up as little houses on the under sides of the leaves. I have noticed that one of the plants the leaves feel very dry, not dead, just dry, and have yellowish patches on them. Is this spider mites? There are some little holes on the leaves as well." Sounds like classic spider mite sign. If you can see the webbing, you have a large amount of spider mites, and they are moving to the next plant! Take the plant AWAY from any other plant, and treat those plants as if they are infected even if you didn't see any visible sign. This is the organic way- Clip off the branches with the webbing, toss in a sealed bag into your trash. Wash each remaining leaf and stem by hand with a bit of soap and lots of water. I'd pour slightly soapy water into the pot, too, for good measure. Keep quarantined from other plants, and I'd spray leaves with soapy water every other day for a week, then every few days for another week. Or you can use neem oil instead, but it has a rather offensive odor inside. Good luck!