I use Bayer 3-n-1 spray. You can find it at HD or Lowes.

Lonnie

any horticultural oil will knock em dead. Diluted fish emulsion will also work but smells "fishy"

Mike

About how long did you guys use them for? I'm assuming I won't know the critters are gone until new leaves start coming in normal rather than deformed, should I just apply it until then?

I tried looking under the leaves and couldn't quite see the bugs (don't have a magnifying glass either), so I won't be able to use that method, haha.

I also use Bayer 3-1 spray and it works well. I even take it a step further and rub the leaves down with wet paper towels to kill the mites and then spray with Bayer.

So I don't seem to be having any luck. I've sprayed twice with neem oil so far (once a week) and my other two plumerias are definitely infested now, and I don't think I'm slowing the damage at all. I feel like I'm probably killing the ones on the plants when I spray, but that new mites probably just arrive on them the next few days and continue killing the plants... I'm not sure where all these mites are coming from - they don't seem to bother with my fuchsias, so they're only going after the plumerias, and with a vengeance. Is there anything I can do to prevent new ones from arriving on the plant? Spray more? Move it or something?

Thanks.

I used Spectracide Immunox 3-in-1: see the link below.

My plumie was so badly infested by the spider mites that neem oil wasn't doing much, so I had to buy an insecticide and kill the culprits. Luckily, they didn't spread to the other plumies. Now I am monitoring closely and if somebody in my family sees only one tiny web of their, I spray with neem oil and I didn't have any more problems.

Mima

Here is a link that might be useful: Spectracide Immunox 3 in 1

This post was edited by SagoLover on Fri, Sep 6, 13 at 17:12

So I finally figured out what the problem is and why I couldn't seem to stave off the mites well! I had my plumerias against a wall without much air circulation, once I moved them out further and they got a bit of afternoon breeze each day, the problem diminished significantly. I guess the wind just blows them right off? I still spray a bit now, but it's much more under control than before.

I have battled spider mites and I have found only one cure. For a plant that is inside or in a place where it cannot be easily hosed off, the only thing I have found to work are PREDATORY MITES. I tried all the chemicals and never had 100% success. I tried buying predator mites and released them onto my plants and they took care of my spider mite problem. I was amazed. They do not harm plants and once the spider mite food source is gone they die off too. The one caveat is that you cannot have sprayed chemicals onto your plant first. I tried introducing predators to a plant that had pyrethrins sprayed on it and the predators just die. I was told I could put the plant out in the rain to try and wash off the chemicals but I do not know if this will actually help as I could not do this in the winter without killing the plant.

Predator mites will likely cost you $50 with the overnight shipping that is required. But is works. Several different vendors will distribute them, but all predators come from either 2 places, both in CA. I had mine shipped to the east coast and the first time they all arrived dead. The vendor replaced for free and this time they had them drop shipped directly from the grower and that worked great.

I'm having the same issue with my lemon tree. I bought insecticidal soap for houseplants and our door plants. Bayer is the brand. I found it at Home Depot. I hope that they go away for you. They're nasty little spiders, and many times kill the plant almost instantly. Good luck with your trees