Spider Mite (red?)

10 years ago

Hi im having abit of a problem with mites atm on my ficus, I keep finding small webbing joing a few leaves here and there but I only really see a few pale specs on the web if anything, never red spider or never more than a couple on the tree, the ficus is benjamina and about 1.5 m tall, im also finding on average about 5 little cotton balls about 1mm on the under side of leaves sometimes on the trunk and sometimes on the top of leaves each time I look which is about 1ce a day, I get rid of them, are they eggs?
Ive been treating the tree with a 10ml solution of cooking oil and washing up liquid per ltr. I spray about twice a day and I have been for around a week, I seem to be finding slightly less activity but im still finding new webs and the odd cotton ball.
Does this sound like red spider mite or another mite and am I doing anything with my solution apart from appearing to slightly slow activity?
Do I need a more powerful solution maybe?

I should add I bout some ivy from the same place as the ficus at the same time about 2 months ago and under light I noticed the ivy was covered in what im seeing on my ficus, they were more like white/gray mites. I disgarded the ivy right away and up untill recently only started seeing activity on my ficus.

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Comments (8)

Kimmsr
10 years ago
Webbing may be a sign that Spider Mites are on that plant and the simplest way to control then is to increase the humidity around the plant, ie. mist it several times a day.

Here is a link that might be useful: About Spider Mites
calliope
10 years ago
Suspect your 'cotton balls' are mealybugs. Dabbing them, or wiping them off gently with a dilute water/alcohol swab should take care of the problem. If you have a shower, or can take your ficus outside, spray it with water. It will help wash away spider mites. They do seem to burst forth in hot/dry situations, but just keeping them humid might not be the panacea it's purported to be. Spider mites aren't always red, btw and so tiny you can barely see them with the naked eye. The tiny grey specks on the ivy were likely immature mealy bug. They and spider mites are real nuisances on ivies. You may wish to spring for a bottle or real insecticidal soap, instead of making up your own brew.
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
10 years ago
Ive been treating the tree with a 10ml solution of cooking oil and washing up liquid per ltr

==>> how about you put away the witches brew.. and buy some horticultural oil.. and some horticultural soap ...

they really arent equivalent ...

i suspect you are trying to save a buck.. and getting more and more frustrated .... sooner or later.. it will be worthwhile to buy a remedy.. organic or chemical.. your choice ...

are these indoors or outdoors?? one usually isolates infected plants.. to avoid spreading the problem ... even if its just another room ...

ken
Palm_shade
Original Author
10 years ago
Lol witches brew? Saving a buck? Um no..
The "witches brew" is a recipe used by quite a few people with similar issues on various forums found by a quick google search, point being the same chemicals used in commercial remidies are common remidies found in house hold items like..washing up liquid (apprently)
Point 2 try and use something that might work I have around before I can get to a garden center if I needed 2 which is tomorrow.

Thanks Calliope, I will wash it in the shower tomorrow before I go to the garden center and get a better solution, I try to keep my all my plants/trees humid, I regularly mist and I recently bought a humidifier.
Palm_shade
Original Author
10 years ago
Lol witches brew? Saving a buck? Um no..
The "witches brew" is a recipe used by quite a few people with similar issues on various forums found by a quick google search, point being the same chemicals used in commercial remidies are common remidies found in house hold items like..washing up liquid (apprently)
Point 2 try and use something that might work I have around before I can get to a garden center if I needed 2 which is tomorrow.

Thanks Calliope, I will wash it in the shower tomorrow before I go to the garden center and get a better solution, I try to keep my all my plants/trees humid, I regularly mist and I recently bought a humidifier.
Kimmsr
10 years ago
Keep in mind the people at your local garden center may not be of much help or may sell you something totally inappropriate. The owner of one of our local garden centers (degree in Horticulture) sold one customer an all purpose insecticde to treat for frost damage one year. Often what they will sell you is their product of the week.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
10 years ago
Palm, commercial products are not the same as dish detergent and cooking oil. Just so you know.....:-)
Palm_shade
Original Author
10 years ago
I got some commercial stuff today that covers what I need, ive done a test on a few leaves.
I know there advice is usually in there interest over ours, I had the same with vermiculite when I wanted perlite lol.
Ill give it a treatment tomorrow if the leaves I tested are ok but I havnt found alot of evidence of pets today

Thanks