Spider mites?

Teresa C
by Teresa C

This is a tropical hibiscus tree in the greenhouse with insects. Is this spider mites? How to treat? Thx!

  14 answers
  • They look like spider mites or mealy bugs. Put some rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball and wipes the leaves. Neem oil spray will also work.

  • Mogie Mogie on Feb 04, 2021

    Step 1

    Squirt three to five drops of the dish washing liquid into the spray bottle.

    Step 2

    Fill the bottle with water from your faucet and screw on the lid.

    Step 3

    Shake it to create more soap suds.

    Step 4

    Spray the plant wherever you see insects.

    Step 5

    Wash the soapy water and dead insects off of the plant.

    Step 6

    Repeat every day for a week or so, to ensure that new hatching insects are exterminated.


    • Lynn Sorrell Lynn Sorrell on Feb 10, 2021

      What happens when you spray diluted dish soap on plants? Remember dish soap is a detergent that is excellent at removing oil, grease, and wax. When you spray it on your plants, it removes the natural oils and waxes that all plants have on their leaves. These oils and waxes serve to protect the leaves.

      When the protective coating is removed from the leaves, it makes it easier for pathogens to get a foothold and infect the plants.

      Spraying your plants with dish soap removes their natural defenses against pests and diseases. You are setting the stage for your plants to get sick, and maybe die.

      Insecticidal soap is a special kind of soap. It is made using only potassium which produces a milder, softer soap than sodium. It also uses long chain fatty acids – a special type of fat. This soap is specially made to be mild on plants.


  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Feb 04, 2021

    I would dust with diatomaceous earth.

  • Dee Dee on Feb 04, 2021

    Rubbing alcohol: The rubbing alcohol you have around the house also can kill spider mites. Soak cotton balls in rubbing alcohol and wipe across the foliage of infested houseplants. Let either the dish soap or rubbing alcohol sit on the plants a few hours, and then rinse the leaves thoroughly with water.

    • Lynn Sorrell Lynn Sorrell on Feb 10, 2021

      Rubbing alcohol can be an effective pesticide for use against some insects such as aphids and mealybugs. A few plants may be slightly sensitive to rubbing alcohol; however, Cool Plant Blog points out that as long as you properly dilute the alcohol solution, you shouldn't have any problems.

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Feb 04, 2021

    The first thing to do would be to isolate the plant you want to treat away from all others with a plastic sheet, spider mites can spread.

    Make a mixture of 3 tablespoons of mild soap (Castile or insecticidal) per gallon water, room temp is fine. Gently wipe the leaves with this solution, you can also use a sprayer bottle. Rinse. You can do this daily until you see improvement.

    If there are any dead leaves at the base of the plant, remove them and bag them up in the trash, never put them into the compost pile.


  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Feb 05, 2021

    Hello, No Spider Mites are Red. These are White Fly!

  • Kimberlee Delbuco Kimberlee Delbuco on Feb 08, 2021

    I read somewhere that a mixture of garlic and cayenne pepper works. I have never tried it so I'm not sure if it works.

  • Deb K Deb K on Feb 09, 2021

    Hi Teresa, you can make your own safer type soap to treat your plant,

    https://www.hortmag.com/weekly-tips/mix-your-own-insecticidal-soap-for-garden-pests

  • Lynn Sorrell Lynn Sorrell on Feb 10, 2021

    pure Neem oil safe non toxic follow directions

  • Mikey Mikey on Aug 26, 2022

    They're not red spider mites. Looking at the body shape and leg formation tells me they're aphids. Red spider mites are rounder and much smaller. As a size reference, the tropical Hibiscus leaf shows the pests are way too big to be mites and if they were red spider mites you would begin to see some webbing on that quantity.


    SB plant invigorator bug killer is recommended. It's safe as it's non chemical. It has a physical mode of action.




  • Mikey Mikey on Aug 26, 2022

    It also looks like you may have some adult white fly and their eggs too but it's difficult to be sure when zooming in.