Thanks guys :) Eeek so sounds like the dish soap isn't great in getting rid of the mites after all. I will try this oil :) Got alot of rain where I live last week. It was in the 50s....I guess I could have set him outside on my patio since they can tolerate as low as 30 f or a little lower? But I worried it would be too great a temp shock going from my apt which is in the upper 60s to lower 70s (yes I like it cooler! lol) to the 50s and 40s. So this brings me to another question ^^ Would that be too great a temp shock? Or should I wait till it's the mid to upper 60's (and raining of course.) Thank you again =)

You are right....dish soap can damage the leaves. That's why it might be better for you to use a product that is actually manufactured for this purpose and comes equipped with a label that tells you how much to use, how to use it, and how often. Spider mites will be very difficult to get rid of completely. 'Control' is about the best many of us achieve. 'Control' is GREAT, considering the species of plant you are trying to protect! Using insecticidal soap (directed to the underside of the foliage), frequent showers (with the stream directed to the underside of the foliage) you should be able to achieve good 'control'. You might consider mixing a solution of rubbing alcohol with water (in a 3:1 ratio) and doing a leaf test. Mist this solution on the underside of some foliage in a small area and wait a week or so. It's been a long time since I grew one of these palms (they are sooo prone to spider mites), but I'm sure I used alcohol when I did. To be on the safe side, do the leaf test. Alcohol mists really do a number on spider mites! You'll see this recommendation for these palms, for your information. Keep a misting bottle already loaded for convenient applications.

Rain tree Bug IS the universally recognized common name for this particular insect....much like the Boxelder Bug to whom they are closely related. Peabody, these insects aren't usually "controlled " on the trees because they don't feed on anything but the ripened seeds. (Also like the boxelder bugs.) They do tend to congregate on the outside of our homes, however....and try to get inside. Where are these critters hanging out? P.S. purple is right on target about dish soap versus real insecticidal soap. This post was edited by rhizo_1 on Thu, Mar 21, 13 at 12:08

I have the Simple human dish soap dispensers. I use them for dish soap and hand soap. They work perfectly well. There are two styles and I have both styles. Good luck!