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Spider mites
Insect or pest Tetranychus urticae and others · also called red spider mite, two-spotted spider mite
Yellow, curled, or mottled leavesSpots or blotches on leavesPowder, fuzz, or moldBugs I can see
How to spot it
Specks smaller than a pinhead on the undersides of leaves. Tap a leaf over white paper and watch for moving dots. Fine webbing shows up when there are many.
What it does
Leaves get pale speckles, then turn yellow or bronze and drop. Worst in hot, dry, dusty weather.
What to do now
- Hose the undersides of leaves hard every few days.
- Spray insecticidal soap, neem, or horticultural oil under the leaves, in the cool of the day.
- Pick off the worst leaves.
Keep it away next time
- Keep plants watered: thirsty plants get mites.
- Avoid broad insecticides, which kill the predator mites that keep them down.
- Wet down paths and mist plants in hot, dry spells.
Helpful supplies
Hand lens on Amazon (opens a new tab)Insecticidal soap on Amazon (opens a new tab)Neem oil on Amazon (opens a new tab)
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Plants it affects
Not sure? Your county extension office can identify it from a photo or sample, often for free.