Spider mite on indoor plants: how to fight and win? How to deal with a spider mite - store preparations and folk remedies.

The spider mite belongs to the class of arachnids. This must be taken into account when choosing a means of combating a pest, preparations for the destruction of insects do not act on it.

He lives for about a month, the female can lay unfertilized eggs, from which new female ticks are hatched in 3-5 days, capable of laying their own eggs in a week (up to a hundred pieces). In a short time, the population can increase hundreds of times. A spider mite hibernates in the ground or in the crevices of greenhouses and greenhouses; eggs, in anticipation of favorable conditions, do not lose viability for several years.

Only when born, the spider mite larva, digs into the leaf of a suitable plant from the underside, and begins to suck out the juice. The “spider mite menu” includes about 200 plant species. The appearance of the pest can be detected by observing yellow drying dots and spots on the surface of the leaves. Looking at the bottom of the leaf, you can see a thin web of small greenish or red creatures - this is the spider mite. With a large number of pests, plant leaves quickly dry out, growth slows down and is inhibited. In addition, the spider mite can transmit infections that are dangerous to plants (gray rot, viruses). If you do not take urgent measures, you can lose the entire plantation, the tick spreads very quickly.

Ticks in sheltered ground are especially rampant. In a greenhouse, with its increased air temperature and many places where you can comfortably winter, the tick feels great. Therefore, in addition to conventional pest control products, autumn washing and disinfection of the greenhouse is mandatory.

Spider Mite Control Products

Cucumbers, eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, and beans are especially often affected by the spider mite. He does considerable damage to flowers, especially asters and roses. Apple trees, cherries, pears, mulberries, currants, strawberries and gooseberries also suffer from the pest.

When choosing a drug for combating ticks, you need to remember that it does not apply to insects, and there is no point in using insecticides.

Acaricides are used against the spider mite: Omayt, Flumayt, Demitan, Apollo, Bitoxibacillin (10 g per 1 liter of water), Borneo. Insectoacaricides will also be effective: Fufanon, Oberon, Aktofit, Kleschevit, Fitoverm (1 ml per 1 liter of water), Karate, Agravertin, Akarin (2 ml per 1 liter of water), Vertimek.

Preparations are bred in strict accordance with the attached instructions.

Important! Chemical treatment is carried out, observing all safety precautions: when spraying on foliage, it is necessary to wear a respirator, glasses and gloves. After completing work, send work clothes to wash, wash your face and hands with soap and water. Smoking or eating during work is prohibited!

Due to the short cycle of tick development and the ineffectiveness of the action of the drug on the pest eggs, several plant treatments are carried out. Usually, 3 to 5 sprays are enough, with an interval of 4 to 7 days. The higher the air temperature, the shorter the gap between the sprayings.

The tick has the ability to get used to and adapt to toxic substances, so the drugs need to be changed regularly. You need to focus on changing the active substance, carefully reading the composition of the drug on the package.

The disadvantage of using chemicals is their toxicity to pets and people.

Some substances (based on phosphorus) are not allowed to be used in enclosed spaces. Many products cannot be sprayed on fruiting plants. The use of such powerful agents is justified in case of severe damage to plants and a large area of \u200b\u200bplanting.

Folk ways of struggle

The spider mite does not tolerate high humidity. With a small number of pests and to prevent its occurrence, it is useful to wash plants with a stream of cool water. Barrels and buckets of water are placed in greenhouses to increase air humidity (at 80% - 85% humidity, the tick dies). These measures are quite effective, provided that for plants increased humidity is not harmful. This method is well suited for cucumbers. In order to increase the air humidity in the open ground, in addition to the shower, the bushes can be wrapped with pieces of film or set wide containers with water under them.

The timely (preferably daily) collection of the affected foliage and its burning prevents the spread of the pest.

In the greenhouse, you can arrange open jars with turpentine or ammonia. Vapors of these substances will poison the tick. Less caustic, but also a good remedy - garlic and onion chopped into gruel.

Sowing calendula vegetables among vegetables will help scare away the pest from the beds.

An effective biological method of combating spider mites can be used in a greenhouse - to launch a colony of predators that feed on them. These are predatory mites Ambliseius and Phytosailius. They are not dangerous to plants and will die when they deal with the pest. You can buy them in large garden nurseries.

Helps to get rid of the pest by washing the leaves with soap and water. To prepare it, they take a simple household or tar soap, you can buy special green in the garden store. Soap is dissolved in a bucket of water, and the affected plant is washed abundantly.

Important! The soapy solution, drying out, forms a film on the leaves, which prevents the plant from breathing. Therefore, a couple of days after processing with soap, the bush should be washed with plain water.

It is easy to prepare an infusion of onions and garlic for spraying the affected plants. 200 g of garlic or onions are crushed and insisted in a liter of water.

A few hours are enough for onions. Garlic is infused for a day, then the solution is diluted with water 3-4 times. The resulting mixture copes well with the spider mite, with its small number.

Herbal infusions for spraying plants against ticks:

dandelion infusion - 0.5 kg of greens are insisted for several hours in a bucket of water;
calendula - 100 g of crushed grass per 1 liter of water, infused for 4 - 5 days;
celandine - a teaspoon of grass, pour a glass of boiling water and cool;
yarrow - 100 g of dry raw materials brew a liter of boiling water, dilute 5 liters of water.

Preventative measures

It is necessary to regularly inspect the plants in order to notice the pest as early as possible and take action.
Autumn digging of the soil and filling the soil with phosphate fertilizers will help to destroy the pest hidden in the ground.
Greenhouses and hotbeds are washed in the fall, they change the topsoil, they are fumigated with a sulfur saber, and the frame is bleached with lime.

The spider mite family has more than 1200 species and is found everywhere except Antarctica. The size of the adult male is 0.3-0.45 mm, and the female is 0.4-0.8 mm. More often than other species, an ordinary spider mite is a pest of garden and agricultural plots. He feeds on the juice of green plants, leaving behind a dry skeleton, braided by cobwebs. The phytophage belongs to the class of arachnids, it is not an insect, but an animal.

Spider mite

What does a spider mite look like? The shape of his body resembles an ellipse, it is covered with hairs, the back is convex. The larvae have 6 legs, and adults have 8. On thin legs there are sharp claws with which they cling to the surface of plants. The color of the larvae is from light green to brown; they darken with age. Reproduction occurs by laying eggs. In the absence of fertilization, males appear from them, and females from the fertilized masonry.

One generation lives from 14 to 30 days, females have time to lay 100-150 eggs during this period. From each after 3 days a voracious larva appears. Under adverse conditions, the offspring does not appear 2 weeks. Eggs can lie alive for up to 5 years. At each stage of their development, from a larva to an adult, arachnids feed on cell sap. Weakened immunity cultures cannot cope with infectious diseases. Following the pest comes gray rot, soot fungus and other diseases.

High temperature (from 27 0) and low humidity are optimal conditions for active reproduction of pests. With a reduction in daylight, they plunge into diapause, a state of hibernation. Hiding in the crevices of buildings, soil or plant debris, phytophages expect the onset of heat. This ability greatly complicates the fight against them.

Pest on vegetables - how to fight?

The spider mite has preferences among vegetable crops, most often it chooses cucumbers, melons, eggplant, peppers. Phytophages feel especially good in the greenhouse. Here they are protected from the weather and temperature fluctuations. A high breeding rate under favorable conditions leads to the rapid infection of all vegetables.

The result of the life of the pest are:

mechanical damage to the back of the leaves;
slowing down the development of the ovary;
when a spider mite appears on cucumbers, the upper tier of plants is braided by a web;
there is a violation of photosynthesis;
necrosis develops, the plant deforms and dries;
catastrophically reduced productivity.

Attention. The natural enemy of the spider mite Phytoseiulus persimilis is used in greenhouses to kill pests. The predator feeds exclusively on this species, it is absolutely not dangerous for plants and humans.

Prevention is a significant step in pest control

The fight against phytophage includes mandatory preventive measures:

After harvesting, it is necessary to remove all crop residues, tear out and remove weeds. It is in them that pests find refuge for the winter.
Planting plants to perform with the interval between rows.
Reclaim the soil, remove the top layer of contaminated soil and replace it with a new one.
To get rid of the spider mite wintering in the greenhouse, it is necessary to carry out fumigation, and burn all structures with a blowtorch.
It is recommended to establish a climate regime inside the greenhouse that is uncomfortable for pests - humidity 80-90%, temperature up to 25 0.
Regularly conduct treatment with acaricidal drugs.

Chemical and biological preparations for processing plants

Methods for combating spider mites include the use of improvised means and specially developed drugs. The first option is environmentally friendly, but with a strong infection is not effective. At the first signs of a pest, it is recommended that all plants be treated with a soap solution (100 g of laundry soap per 10 l of water). Used infusions of onion husks, garlic and tobacco.

Ecological and safe methods for the destruction of the phytophage include the use of a predatory tick of phytosailus. It is enough to place 60 individuals on m 2 sites to get rid of eggs, larvae and adult pests. Acarifag is active at temperatures from 20 0 high humidity. After removing all enemies, the predator will die without food.

Chemicals are much more effective in the struggle to preserve the crop. Many tools have been created that can destroy the pest at various stages of development.

Karbofos - an organophosphorus substance, an insecticide and acaricide. Available in various forms and concentrations. The active substance malathion is effective against insects and arachnids. The duration of protection in open ground is 10 days, in a greenhouse - up to 7 days. Spraying is done in the evening in calm weather.
Actellik is a spider mite remedy suitable for use on open and protected soil. The drug belongs to insectoacaricides, it does not affect the plant, it only poisons pests. The substance of intestinal contact action has fumigant properties, destroying phytophages on both sides of the leaves. The duration of exposure is 2-3 weeks.
Apollo - the action of acaricide is directed to eggs and larvae. This drug is one of the few that are able to cope with pests at an early stage of development. The active compound clofentesin sterilizes adults, preventing reproduction. Apollo refers to acaricides of contact action, for poisoning eggs, it is necessary to thoroughly moisten the plants with a freshly prepared solution. The substance is slightly toxic, safe for humans and insects. Protection of the drug is valid for up to 2 months.

Attention. When processing crops with one chemical preparation, pests develop addiction. During the summer season, means of destruction must be changed.

Types of ticks on indoor plants

Among plant diseases, a special place is occupied by a spider mite. Phytophages are persistent and difficult to eliminate pests, including several types:

An ordinary spider mite is a species common on the ground and indoors. Colonies settle on the underside of the leaves, hiding from sunlight. Adults quickly crawl from an infected plant to neighboring flowers.
Red tick - indoor plants often suffer from attacks of a small pest that lives on lemon, balsam. Soft-bodied females 0.5 mm in purple, males 0.3 mm colored bright red.
False spider mite - it differs in miniature dimensions of 0.25 mm, it does not weave a web. Infection becomes noticeable with a huge number of individuals.
Atlantic tick - looks like a spider mite. Propagated in any humidity, prefers palm trees and citrus trees.
Cyclamen tick - affects the edges of leaves, buds and stems. With the naked eye is not noticeable. The colonies settle on the upper side of the leaves and look like a layer of dust. Pests choose cyclamens, balsams, chrysanthemums and other tuber plants.
A wide spider mite - the phytophage is very fertile, every 5 days a new generation appears on the leaves. After 2-3 weeks, the plant is entangled in cobwebs and clusters of ticks, similar to reddish-brown dust. The pest attacks the oleander, ficus, cactus, tagetis. Sulfur preparations are effective in combating it.
Cactus flat mite - insecticides are recommended for the destruction of phytophages. Processing is carried out several times with an interval of 7 days.

Where does the spider mite on the flowers come from?

Pests are unpretentious in choosing a habitat, they can be found on various indoor colors:

ficus;
palm;
sims azalea;
rose flower;
cyperus.

The first signs of infection are yellow dots on the leaves, eventually merging into a large spot. Microscopic arthropod in small quantities does not braid indoor plants with a web, so it is not immediately noticeable. Usually the damage caused by them is attributed to a lack or excess of moisture. Look for pests on the back of the leaves. When there are several tens of individuals, they can be noticed.

Attention. If you suspect the appearance of a spider mite on a ficus, it is worthwhile to conduct a simple study. Peel a sheet over the paper, and then examine the surface with a magnifying glass. Several pests will surely fall from the plant and will be noticed.

How do indoor plants become infected?

The pest enters plants in various ways:

With infected indoor flower. When buying a new plant, you must carefully examine its leaves. A tick cannot be noticed, and yellow dots on the leaves will make you think about the health of the plant.
With soil. Soil purchased or from the street can be fraught with danger in the form of a female or spider mite larvae. Arachnids can immerse themselves in diapause, a state of slow metabolism, under adverse conditions. They come to life with an increase in temperature and a decrease in humidity. After the start of the heating season, the pest begins an active life.
Through an open window with the wind. Residents of the first floors more than others risk their indoor plants with open windows. Adults travel long distances with the wind, catching on a cobweb. The pest can be brought to the balcony, as well as get into the apartment on the clothes of summer residents. He is mobile, in search of food he is actively exploring new territories. A flower tick brought in with a fresh bouquet will be a threat to all indoor plants.

Pest Management Methods

After removing the dry leaves, the rest are wiped with a cloth soaked in soapy water on both sides. This allows you to remove adults and part of the larvae. To enhance the effect, the plant along with foam moisture is placed 2 days in a plastic bag. After 48 hours, it is thoroughly washed with a warm shower. The procedure is not one-time, it is repeated after a week.

Attention. Simultaneously with flower processing, it is necessary to wash the window sill (with soap or alcohol), window frames, and wash the curtains.

A common method for getting rid of a spider mite is alcohol treatment. It should be carried out carefully, first try on one leaf so that there is no burn. Spray alcohol with a spray or cotton pad. The treatment is suitable for ficus, dieffenbachia and other plants with dense leaves. This disinfection is effective for window frames. Exposure to ultraviolet lamps is recommended. It is only beneficial for plants, and ticks always avoid contact with ultraviolet light.

Special chemicals

Without the use of chemistry, it will not be possible to completely remove pests. Designed for indoor use. An effective method of combating spider mites is spraying with chemical compounds and cultivating the earth in a pot. Among the recommended remedies:

Fitoverm

Plant-based bio-insecticide Fitoverm can be safely used at home. It is recommended for the prevention and destruction of pests on indoor plants. The effect of the drug begins 6-7 hours after application. The period of protective action is 2-3 weeks. The ampoule of the drug (2 ml) must be introduced into 1 liter of water, the infected composition is intensively sprayed with the finished composition.

Aktara

A modern acaricidal drug is used not only in the garden, but also for the destruction of pests on flowers - roses, violets, ficus and others. The product is offered in the form of a concentrated emulsion and water-soluble granules. Small packaging in ampoules and sachets is convenient when processing domestic plants. Actara from a spider mite is a systemic drug. It penetrates the leaves and tissues of plants, sucking juice from them, pests receive a dose of poison.

An hour after an insecticide enters their body, phytophages lose their ability to eat and die within 24 hours. The action of the drug when applied to the soil protects indoor plants for 2 months. When spraying, a fresh solution should be used. When working with a toxic substance, care should be taken - put on gloves, wash face and hands after work, change clothes.

Plant pin

Sticks with the active substance butoxycarboxim. Remedy for spider mites on indoor plants, which does not require spraying. The number of sticks depends on the diameter of the pot - by 9 cm - 1, by 12 cm - 2, by 20 cm - 5-6. They are stuck in the ground at a distance of 2 cm from the plant. During watering, the active substance dissolves and enters the roots of the flower. The effect of the drug is noted after 3-7 days. It will protect against pests for 8 weeks. A similar effect has the agent Etisso.

Prevention

Preventing phytophage infection is better than fighting them later. Simple rules will help to save indoor plants:

The active development of the spider mite on lemon, ficus and other indoor plants occurs in dry air. You should often air the room and spray the plants with water.
Self-prepared or purchased earth mixture is sterilized in the oven, moss is treated with boiling water.
When processing plants, the window sill must be wiped, where there may be fallen pests.
You can not put bouquets of cut flowers next to indoor plants.
New plants must go through a quarantine period - stand apart from others 2-3 weeks after acquisition. Even if the purchase is made in a specialty store.

Tip. Place flower pots in wide trays with water, which will gradually evaporate, creating moisture uncomfortable for ticks.

Measures for the prevention and control of spider mites are distinguished by an integrated approach. They require consideration of the characteristics of the development of the pest. If after the first treatment complete destruction did not occur, then after 7-10 days it must be repeated. Ticks are resistant to external factors, but with due persistence and they can be defeated.

It is possible to get rid of ticks at home using a soap solution. Traditionally, laundry soap is used for this, but sulfur-tar soap or green soap is sometimes chosen. Some recommend using a little detergent diluted with water instead of soap.

Any plants are treated with soap - both indoor and greenhouse plants. For the procedure, 200 g laundry soap is ground and dissolved in a bucket of warm water. After the solution itself has been prepared, you need to take the affected flower and gently wipe the leaves and stems with a sponge moistened in the solution. It must be remembered that getting such a remedy on the roots will have a very detrimental effect on your flower (it can even lead to its death), so the procedure is carried out very carefully. When the procedure is completed, the flower is left for several hours (3-4), and then the remaining foam is washed off well. After the procedure, it is recommended to cover the flower with a plastic bag to maintain moisture level.

Sulfur-tar soap has also established itself as a reliable means with which to really get rid of spider mites. It will need less than household or green - only 100 g per bucket of water. Treatment is advised to be carried out every week, only 2-3 times.

Combat the spider mite is also recommended with the help of an alcohol solution. For this, ammonia is suitable, which requires only 30 ml. As a rule, this method is used in the treatment of plants that have rather thick leaves (ficus, dracaena), because alcohol can damage thin leaves. No need to spray the flower, just apply alcohol to the cotton wool and wipe the leaves. So at the same time you will remove the cobweb that the tick left.

A solution is also prepared from alcohol and soap - for this, 20 g of soap and 10 ml of alcohol will be required per liter of boiling water.

Recall that alcohol will help get rid only of the pests themselves, but their eggs will not go anywhere.

Tinctures

There are several types of infusions that help in this case.

First, use infusions of garlic, which are prepared in several ways. For the first method, you need 30 g of garlic and a bucket of hot water. Chopped garlic is placed in water and left for a day, so that the solution is properly infused. After a day, the infusion is filtered and processed.

You can prepare a more concentrated infusion. To do this, 500 g of garlic is placed in a three-liter container with water and left to infuse for 5-6 days in a dark, cool place. Then they filter the infusion, cast 60 g from it and dilute them in a bucket of water. The resulting solution is treated with a plant.

If you need to urgently carry out the treatment, a bucket of water will require 200 g of garlic. The resulting infusion is immediately used.

Secondly, you can prepare an infusion of onions. To make it, take 200 g of onion in a bucket of warm water, stand for 12 hours, and then strain it, process the plants.

Thirdly, herbs and plants are used for tinctures: dandelion (30 g per liter of water, stand for several hours), yarrow (700 g per bucket of water, stand for three days), horseradish (1 kg of chopped roots in a bucket of water, stand for a couple of hours )

Decoctions

One of the types of folk remedies that are used against spider mites is decoctions with which plants are processed regularly. To do this, you can use the roots of cyclamen (50 g per half-liter of water), the broth is immediately filtered and the flower is treated.

A decoction is also prepared using leaves of gray alder. 2 kg of fresh leaves are poured with a bucket of water, left for a day. After that, the resulting broth is boiled for half an hour and again defended for 12 hours.

You can make a decoction of wormwood (800 g per bucket of water), which is infused for two days. After that, they boil it for half an hour, filter it and add another bucket of water.

Oils

To remove this pest, sometimes use essential oils that are diluted in water. So, for example, a few drops of rosemary essential oil per liter of water can make a difference.

Doubtful means

Video "How to get rid of a spider mite"

From this video you will learn about effective methods to combat spider mites.

As a rule, the tick may be:

On the underside of the leaves.
Between lumps of soil.
Under dry fallen leaves.

As a rule, the main reason for the appearance of a spider mite on indoor plants is the acquisition of another flower in a flower shop. Larvae or even adults remain on the plants as a result of improper care of the plants.

Therefore! Each time, buying a new flower, you should carefully examine each leaf of the plant, as well as the ground for the presence of harmful insects. To be safe, it is better to identify purchased flowers in a separate place, in quarantine. After 2 weeks, if there are no signs of pest activity, the flowers can be identified in their permanent place.

The first signs of infection of plants with a tick:

Leaves begin to turn yellow from the bottom. Affected areas lose chlorophyll, discolor and dry out.
Since the leaves do not get the right amount of nutrients, they curl and fall off.
Places where a spider mite colony has settled are covered with a thin web.
If you do not start the fight against these pests, then the plant gradually weakens and can die.

The infected plant is immediately removed from its place and quarantined.

From spider mites help:

Vermitek.
Fitoverm.
Actofit.
Akarin.
Tick-borne.
Agravertine.

Interesting! After processing, it may take from 3 to 7 days before pests die. These compounds are less toxic, and they act differently. Therefore, you should not expect instant destruction of pests or doubt the effectiveness of the drugs.

If ticks multiply very quickly and biological products, and even more so, alternative methods, do not cope with their task, then it is better to resort to the use of chemicals, the so-called acaricides. Some types of ticks have already managed to adapt to the action of chemicals, so you have to use 2 or even 3 different drugs. In any case, an effective remedy can always be found.

The use of chemicals involves the use of personal protective equipment, along with some rules. For instance:

Dressed with long sleeves, a hat and gloves.
For the treatment of indoor plants, the use of drugs of the 3-4 toxicity class is permissible. More toxic agents are intended for outdoor use.
Before starting spraying, the root zone is closed so that the chemical composition does not get to the roots. Alternatively, you can use a plastic bag.
Processing plants is carried out strictly according to the instructions. If the flower is seriously affected, then not one such treatment will be required, but possibly all four, in order to guarantee the destruction of the pest.

Such an effect is possessed by such drugs:

Sunmight.
Floromite.
Flumight.
Apollo
Oberon.

You can cook the following compounds:

Onion infusion. To do this, take a medium-sized onion and cut it into strips or cubes, then pour them with boiling water. After 4 hours, the infusion is filtered, poured into a spray bottle, and then the leaves are sprayed with this solution.
Potato leaf infusion. Green raw materials are crushed and poured with 1 liter of boiling water. After 4 hours, the solution is ready for use.
The use of celandine. To prepare the infusion, take 1 liter of boiling water and fill it with 2 tablespoons of green or dried leaves of celandine. After 4 hours, the solution is ready for use.
Yarrow broth. You need to take 1 liter of boiling water and 100 grams of yarrow. Boil the solution for 3 minutes, let it brew for 4 hours and can be used, but before that it should be filtered.
Dandelion Flask. You need to take the leaves and roots of the plant, grind them and take 3 tablespoons, after which the raw material is poured with boiling water. After 4 hours, the solution is filtered and used as intended.

Instructive! Soap solution is allowed to process only the upper surface of the leaves. The respiratory pores are located on the bottom of the leaf. If these pores are closed with soapy foam and then dried, gas exchange may be disturbed and the leaves will fade.

Every three days, it is recommended to wipe the leaves of indoor flowers and other ornamental plants with a damp rag. To do this, take hot water and rinse a cloth well each time.
Do not bring the soil to dry.
Constantly remove fallen leaves from the pot, which can serve as a shelter for ticks.
Flowers are regularly fertilized and the desired temperature and humidity are maintained. If the plant is strong and healthy, then it may be too tough even for ticks.

Novice gardeners believe that you can get rid of ticks if you immerse the plant in water completely. This is actually not the case. Firstly, you can harm the flower itself, and secondly, an air bubble forms around the tick. Of course, if you hold the flower in water for several hours, the effect will be obvious, but it is unlikely that any flower can withstand it. The most effective way is to wipe the leaves with hot water, but this method will not be effective if many colonies of spider mites are found on the plant.

In order not to spend a lot of energy and energy on the fight against flat pests, it is better to adhere to certain rules for the care of indoor plants. If you really like flowers like that and you can't do without them, then you need to take care of them properly.

Common pests of indoor plants include ticks. They are so small that they are almost invisible to the naked eye. When it becomes apparent that the plant is affected by them, it is often too late. Little monsters feed on their juice, multiply in mathematical progression and quickly adapt to all kinds of poisons. The name of one of them is “Putin's tick”.

Spider mite

Barely visible to the human eye, the spider mite is not an insect at all. It belongs to a separate huge group of invertebrates from the class Arachnids, type Arthropods.
Ticks, or acarins (from the Latin name Acarina), are diverse. Of the nearly fifty thousand species, only a small part (1250 species) are spider mites. They are pests of garden, indoor and agricultural plants, are common on all continents, in places where there is vegetation.
Most often, people encounter an ordinary spider mite - Tetranychus urticae, a red spider mite - Tetranychus cinnabarinus, a red-legged spider mite - Tetranychus ludeni, a Turkestan spider mite - Tetranychus turkestani.
Ticks differ from insects in their external and internal structure, as well as the influence of chemicals on them.
Ticks always have eight legs (4 pairs), and adult insects have six (3 pairs). The body of the spider mites is whole, the body of the insects is clearly divided into three sections. The eyes of ticks are simple, there are two pairs of them. In insects, eyes are complex, faceted - one pair. These differences, of course, can only be seen under the microscope. A characteristic feature of spider mites is the allocation of cobwebs, for which they got their name.
Spider mites, depending on the species, can be white, yellow, green, red, purple or colorless. One generation of tick lives from 12 to 24 days. The drier the air and the higher the ambient temperature, the tick becomes more active, its number increases. Under adverse living conditions, ticks fall into suspended animation called diapause. In this state, they can be in the soil, in fallen leaves or in crevices for a long time, without losing viability.

How to detect a spider mite on indoor plants

A spider mite can live on any houseplant, but palm trees, ficuses, balsamins, calla lilies, dracaena, fuchsias, abutilon, sheflera, heder especially like it. The presence of a spider mite on a houseplant is evidenced by a spider web on leaves and small dark dots (traces of punctures by ticks of plant tissue). With severe damage, the leaves of the plants wither, dry and curl, their color fades. White or yellowish spots appear on the surface, since the places where the mites sucked out the juices lose chlorophyll, the green plant pigment.
At first, the spider mite settles on the lower surface of the leaf plate, then it develops the upper one, after which it sprouts green shoots. With mass reproduction, the pest infects flowers and fruits, that is, all non-lignified parts.
All these signs become noticeable when the spider mite is already well established. If there are no such symptoms, and the leaves of the home flower suddenly begin to fall off, we can assume that a spider mite wound on it. The sooner you start saving a green pet, the easier it will be to overcome the pest.

Spider mite control methods for indoor plants

What to do if a spider mite is found on your home flowers?
First of all, this houseplant needs to be isolated in order to prevent infection of neighbors. After this, you need to carefully, better with a magnifying glass, check the remaining flowers: the tick usually settles quickly. Even if during the inspection you do not notice a pest on them, treat them in any recommended way, and at the same time all adjacent surfaces and cracks.

Spider mite preparations on indoor plants

Special chemicals are most effective against spider mites, they are called acaricides. Acaricidal drugs (not to be confused with insecticides, drugs against insect pests) can be specific (against ticks) and non-specific (against ticks and other pests). Some of them combine well with other plant care products, while others are not recommended for mixing. About this, as well as about the doses and the frequency of processing, you need to look in the accompanying instructions.
When choosing acaricide for indoor plants, pay attention to the hazard class of the drug for humans. Class 1 and 2 drugs, due to their toxicity (including for animals and insects), cannot be used in living quarters. Such drugs include, for example, Actelik and Marshall. In exceptional cases, they are treated on the street, and only after the weathering of the smell is brought into the house.

Spraying is carried out until the plants are completely wetted, or immersed in a bucket with the solution pointing the crown down.
It is important to remember that ticks lay their eggs, so most acaricidal drugs are used in several stages:
The first time from 70 to 80% of ticks are destroyed;
The second treatment is carried out after 5-6 days, when new mites hatch from previously laid eggs;
The third treatment (control) - after another 5 days.
Even if everything is done correctly, it will be possible to get rid of the spider mite on indoor plants in 96-98 cases out of 100. Some mites can remain in the ground and creep out over time.

The rules to be followed when processing indoor plants from spider mites

Only dry plants can be sprayed.
With persistent infection, the drugs alternate to avoid getting used to them by the pest. Ticks quite easily adapt to poisons, so each subsequent generation acquires a partial immunity to them. Over time, proven drugs may weaken their effect or not at all.
When choosing a drug, pay attention to the active substance. It may be the same for drugs with different names.
The treatment of indoor plants from the spider mite is carried out until noon at an air temperature of 21-25 degrees - this is the best temperature regime for the action of specific acaricides. Such acaricides include preparations containing in their composition: benzylates, quinosolines, pyridazinones, tetrazines, sulfonic acid derivatives.
When working with drugs, individual protective measures must be observed, after it - thoroughly wash your hands and face, nose and throat.

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Spider mite preparations are biological and synthetic. The former are obtained through the activity of living microorganisms, the latter through a chemical method. Some of them:

Biological preparations for spider mites on indoor plants

Actofit - the active substance aversectin, a preparation of biological origin, obtained from the vital activity of one of the soil fungi
Vertimek - the active substance abamectin is a waste product of the soil fungus Stereptomyces avermitilis
Fitoverm - biological product based on the vital products of soil microorganisms, for the solution use 2 ml per 1 liter of water
Akarin, Agravertin, Tick-borne - active substance avertin, not addictive.

Synthetic spider mite preparations on indoor plants

Apollo - the active substance clofentesin is safe, environmentally friendly, 0.4 ml of the drug is diluted in 1 liter of water
Neoron - a modern effective preparation for spider mite
Nisoran - the active substance hexithiazox acts on the eggs, larvae and nymphs of ticks, does not act on the adult form of ticks, but sterilizes it, preventing reproduction, the tick dies itself.
Sunmight, Taurus - the active substance is pyridaben, highly effective, 1 treatment is enough, for a solution - 1 g of the drug per 1 liter of water.
Oberon, Judo - the active substance spiromesifen, also helps against whiteflies and thrips, 3 ml of the drug is taken per 10 liters of water
Omight 30 - active substance propargite, 3 g of substance per 1 liter of water.
Floremight - active ingredient biphenazate, effective against many types of ticks
Flumight - active substance flufenzin, effective at all stages of the life of the spider mite

Biological method of combating spider mites on indoor plants

The biological method of combating spider mites is more often used in large potted plant farms, so far it is not widespread in indoor floriculture. Planted on affected plants predatory ticks Phytoseiulus persimilis, Amblyseius andersoni, Neoseiulus californicus, predatory bugs Macrolophus pygmaeus or predatory gall midge Feltiella acarisuga. Predatory mites, carnivorous bugs and gall midge larvae feed on spider mites and their larvae, which makes it possible to fight a pest in an environmentally friendly way. One of the advantages of using predatory insects is their effectiveness where chemicals stop acting on the spider mite due to the development of resistance (addiction). Useful ticks are packed in sachets, strips 80-160 m long, bags, bottles or tubes, bed bugs - in bottles. Gall midge cocoons on pieces of leaves in wood wool are sold in liter containers. The disadvantages of this method include the very short shelf life of biological agents until the moment of settling on the affected plants.

Folk remedies for spider mites on indoor plants

Folk remedies for combating spider mites are safer, but inferior in effectiveness to chemical drugs, and in difficult cases to no avail.
Herbs
- 100 g of hot peppers to insist in 1 liter of water
- 120 g of raw potato tops insist 3 hours in 1 liter of water
- 30 g of roots or 40 g of dandelion leaves insist in a liter of water for 2 hours
- 80 g of dry yarrow inflorescences are poured with boiling water, the cooled raw material is added with water to a liter, insisted for two days
- chop 40 g of dry tomato leaves, add water, leave for 2 hours, add to a liter
- chop the onion, insist 6 hours in 1 liter of water, filter
- Pour 30 g of crushed horse sorrel roots with water, leave for 3 hours
- 400 g of fresh or 100 dry chopped celandine pour 1 liter of boiling water per day, strain
To all the above herbal infusions, you should add liquid or laundry soap, or detergent like Feri at the rate of 4 g per 1 liter of infusion. A spray solution is prepared immediately before use. Sprayed repeatedly, every five days until the pest disappears.
Water
In the early stages of the lesion, you can try to do without chemical treatment by rubbing the leaves of the plant with a wet sponge. This method of combating spider mites is suitable for indoor plants with large smooth leaves (dieffenbachia, ficus, croton).
With a small affection with a spider mite, indoor plants are subjected to “wet therapy”. Cover the pot with cellophane, fixing it on the base of the stem, so as not to wash the soil. Bathe the plant in the shower, washing off the tick. Remove cellophane from the pot, but put a transparent plastic bag on the plant, tie it so that only a little air enters the crown, and put it in the light. The soil should be open. Take care of the flower as usual. After a week, remove the bag. Repeat this again after five to seven days. The spider mite will die from moisture in the bag. With repeated processing, a new generation, formed from larvae, will die.
Alcohol and UV
Another folk remedy for spider mites - alcohol spraying or rubbing the leaves with alcohol - does not always contribute to the complete disappearance of the pest. As well as placing the plant under an ultraviolet lamp once a week for 1-2 minutes (a good way to raise the immunity of a houseplant!).

On a note

On plants with pubescent leaves, it is more difficult to fight with a tick, since they can not be washed and sprayed (they may begin to rot leaves).
It is a mistake to apply one of the “effective” folk remedies for combating spider mites - applying a soap solution to the surface of leaves of indoor plants. Firstly, soap does not harm ticks, and secondly, it harms plants. On the lower side of the leaf blade, where the highest concentration of ticks, the plant has stomata. Due to stomata cells, gas exchange occurs between atmospheric air and leaf tissues. The soap solution can clog or glue the stomata, respectively, the plant will not be able to absorb carbon dioxide, which serves as the basis for photosynthesis. Plant tissues will be deprived of the ability to produce nutrients, grow and develop.
Among the pests that are dangerous for indoor plants, there are other mites, erroneously called spider mites. False spider mites (Tenuipalpidae) are found on cacti, citrus fruits, orchids, and other plants; they do not form cobwebs. The leaves of the affected plants acquire a silver-white color, the flowers become irregular in shape. False spider mites include flat mites (or flat-ticks), red hothouse - Brevipalpus obovatus, orchid - Tenuipalpus pacificus, cactus flat - Brevipalpus russulus. There are other pests of indoor plants. Methods of dealing with them may differ from those used for spider mites.

Prevention of the appearance of spider mites on indoor plants

As preventive measures, you should not be lazy and carefully examine green pets once a month. The sooner you begin to save the houseplant, the easier it will be to overcome the spider mite. Prerequisites for its development are fever, dry air, and the absence of wind.
In order to prevent, a number of rules must be observed:
To increase air humidity (using a humidifier, spraying, you can install flower pots on expanded clay, filled with water, or put water poured in flat containers next to it);
Wash or spray the leaves of plants, especially thoroughly from the underside;
In the warm season (from spring to autumn) to take indoor plants to the street or balcony;
More often put plants near an open window or on a light draft (this applies only to those plants that are not afraid of drafts and do not bloom at this time);
Pick off dried leaves and remove fallen leaves from the pot;
Do not use the substrate from under the infected plants (even if you calcine it in the oven);
For a new plant in the house, quarantine for 2-3 weeks, only after that it can be set together with others.