Have you ever had a similar experience: wake up in the morning and come to admire your flowers, and all the tops of the plants drooped and covered with cobwebs? A similar picture can be seen both on indoor plants and in the garden on flowers, trees and berries. The name of this scourge is spider mite. It is able to penetrate everywhere and its tiny size makes it almost elusive. How fast and efficient get rid of spider mites once and for all and prevent its occurrence?
The enemy must be known by sight
spider mites(or scientifically in Latin - Tetranychidae) are distributed throughout our globe. But given their survivability, it is possible that beyond J. Even in the ice of Antarctica, the larvae of these insects were found. The species diversity of spider mites is simply amazing, there are more than 12 hundred different species.
This is what a spider mite looks like when magnified
The size of this pest is so small (less than one millimeter) that it is almost impossible to see it with the naked eye. The appearance of spider mites on indoor plants can only be detected when insect colonies reach an impressive size. And also on a characteristic basis - the appearance near the cuttings of leaves and at the bottom of the leaf of cobwebs.
What do spider mite larvae look like?
Ticks feed on the juices of the plant, located on the underside of the leaf blade, closer to the large veins. spider mite, like forest ticks, has a sharp proboscis, with which it pierces leaf tissue and drinks juice. As a result of the activity of the pest colony, the plant begins to wither quickly, intensively lose leaves and, in the end, dies if timely measures are not taken.
And on this sheet you can see the spider mite itself, its larvae and the eggs it lays
The life span of a tick is less than two months, but the females manage to lay up to five thousand eggs during this time, from which a new generation of ticks comes out every 2-3 days. Therefore, the pest population is growing almost at lightning speed.
Indoor plants that decorate the room and help purify the air can be affected by various diseases, and pests often settle on them. The spider mite is just one of such rather dangerous harmful insects. If he settled on a plant, then a web appears on it.
The spider mite has a very small size, in connection with this it will be extremely difficult to see it with the naked eye. The largest adult individual has a body length of no more than 5 mm. Depending on the species, the insect may have a different color. Most often you can meet green ticks, but they can also be orange or red.
These pests can hide in the soil, in flower pots or in the leaf axils of the plant. If there are a lot of ticks, then it will not be very difficult to notice them.
If this pest has settled on your indoor plant, then specks of light and pale yellow color form on the entire surface of its leaf plates. If there are a lot of pests, then after examining the wrong surface of the leaves, you can see a thin cobweb on it. If the flower is completely covered with cobwebs, then it will dry out quickly.
There are several types of spider mites:
- Ordinary. This species is most common, and it is a great danger to plants. As a rule, such a pest takes refuge on young shoots or on the wrong side of the leaf plate. Over time, when the number of ticks increases, they will begin to settle on new plants located near the affected one. Such insects have a light color. Cobwebs appear on the leaves of the affected specimen, as well as yellow spots.
- Red. A very small pest has a rich red color. This type of tick is the most dangerous of all, but it can be met not as often as an ordinary one. He prefers to settle on orchids, roses and lemon plants.
- Atlantic. This pest prefers to settle where there is an increased level of humidity. As a rule, he chooses exotic plants, such as palm trees or citrus fruits.
- False. This insect is very, very small, so it is almost impossible to notice. Most often, its presence on a flower is known only when the plant is covered with a thin cobweb and begins to fade very quickly.
- Cyclamen. Such a soil mite can hide both on the tubers and on the leaf plates of the flower. Because of this, getting rid of this pest is somewhat more difficult than getting rid of its counterparts. This species is able to form large colonies, which are often mistaken for simple dust by the grower. In this regard, it is often too late to understand that a plant is affected by such a tick. This pest prefers high humidity.
Spider mite control methods
It is quite difficult to deal with a spider mite that has settled on an indoor flower. To destroy it, flower growers often resort to the use of folk or special chemicals. It should be noted that chemical preparations are more effective.
But if you are afraid of harming the plant, then in this case it is better to opt for time-tested folk methods. However, in this case, it should be noted that often these funds have low efficiency. And, in the end, the grower still has to use chemicals.
A fairly large number of chemicals have been developed that can cope with spider mites. Such agents are called acaricides. With the help of them, you can destroy various types of mites that can settle on flowers grown indoors. For example:
- Actellik. It is used to fight ticks, while this tool is distinguished by a contact effect on the pest. It disrupts the process of feeding spiders, making it impossible. Processing should be carried out 2 times a month. At the same time, the flower grower must wear a special protective suit, and spraying the flower must be done either in non-residential premises or on the street, since this drug is very poisonous.
- Fitoverm. This biological drug is much less harmful than Actellik. The composition of this tool includes aversectins, which are distinguished by a neurotoxic effect, and it has a detrimental effect on ticks. When processing, you should also take care of protective equipment, because Fitoverm is also a poisonous agent.
- Neoron. This tool is the most effective. During processing, both adult mites and eggs, as well as larvae, die.
- flumite. This drug has a detrimental effect on the eggs of spider mites, so that new individuals are not born. Adults also die from this remedy; therefore, you will be able to completely destroy the pest in a relatively short time. You can spray the plant only once every 4 weeks, since Flumite is highly toxic.
- Skelta. This tool appeared not so long ago, but has already become popular among flower growers. It destroys both adult insects and larvae. However, it should be remembered that after treatment, adult mites will die only after 7 days, and larvae after 5 days. Despite this, Skelta is highly effective, and just one spray is enough to completely destroy the tick.
It happens that the grower does not want, for various reasons, to resort to the use of chemicals to get rid of spider mites. What to do in this case? There are many folk remedies, in the preparation and use of which there is nothing complicated.
Before you start fighting the spider mite using folk methods, you need to prepare the plant, for this you need to thoroughly clean it. To do this, you need to wash the flower with plain clean water, while using detergents is not recommended, as they contribute to clogging the pores on the leaf blades. Then you need to wash the window sill, window and pot very thoroughly to remove any pests that may be there. Only then should the plant be treated with your chosen folk remedy. For example:
- Garlic infusion. To prepare it, you need to finely chop a couple of heads of garlic and mix the resulting mass with 1 liter of boiled water. The container must be tightly closed with a screw cap and put in a cool dark place for 5 days to infuse. Before use, the infusion is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:1. Then they process the plant.
- Onion infusion. 5 liters of clean water must be combined with one hundred grams of onion peel. This mixture should be allowed to brew for 5 days. The finished infusion must be filtered, and then it can be used to process flowers.
- Alcohol. This folk method showed a relatively high efficiency. But it should be noted that only those flowers that have dense leaf plates can be processed with it. Take a cotton swab and moisten it with ammonia. Then they need to carefully wipe the surface of the sheet plates. The effectiveness of this method can be reduced if the ticks hide in hard-to-reach places.
- soap solution. To prepare such a solution, you can take any soap, for example: laundry, green or tar. Both the affected flower and the container in which it grows should be treated. Foam for 2-4 hours must be left on the surface of the flower. When it is washed off, the flower must be covered with a plastic bag, which is removed only after a day. This will maintain the required high level of humidity.
Infection prevention
To prevent damage to the plant by a spider mite, preventive measures should be taken:
- systematically inspect all indoor plants;
- this pest prefers dry air, so it is important to maintain the optimal level of humidity;
- it is necessary to systematically spray the leaf plates from the sprayer with clean water;
- Once a month, the flower needs to arrange a warm shower;
- recently purchased flowers should be quarantined;
- be sure to steam the substrate, as it may contain individuals that hibernate in the ground.
Caring for plants in the house, working on a personal plot for lovers of the green world is not easy work, but not without pleasure. Especially when you see the results of your work. It's a shame when the plant suddenly begins to turn yellow, covered with nasty dots, or even completely fades. A thin web appears at the top or along the entire height. We sympathize - you got a spider mite. Look for an effective remedy for spider mites, and immediately, otherwise the crop will be lost! In room conditions, mites are very active and quickly move from leaf to leaf, from one plant to another. Delay in action threatens to infect everyone
Meet the spider mite
It is almost impossible to see a small insect, ranging in size from 0.3 to 0.5 mm, with the naked eye, and even more so its eggs. Rather, the damage caused by it is immediately visible. The spider mite, despite the name, is not related to the category of mites. It's not an insect, it's an arachnid. This information is important in order to determine the effective remedy for spider mites.
The color of the insects varies from green to brown-brown or red in winter. The body is rounded and covered with bristles. Spider mites hide on the underside of plants, and it is difficult to notice them because of their tiny size. They begin to look for a remedy for spider mites when the leaves are already covered with brown or white dots. It is very difficult to practically destroy this pest completely and forever. Ticks have greater vitality and, when adverse conditions occur, they cease to spoil the plant, but do not die. They can endure a long period of starvation by hibernating in anticipation of better times.
Optimal living conditions
The unique adaptability to the habitat and weather conditions allows the spider mite to live throughout the globe, except for Antarctica. Optimal conditions: temperature 20 - 30 degrees Celsius, air humidity - 35-55%. The active stage of activity and reproduction of the pest begins in the open air from June. In early August, ticks begin to hibernate. It is the active period that is favorable for spraying plants. It is worth using folk remedies for spider mites. Very high summer temperatures, high humidity, the onset of cold weather stop the active phase of activity, the insects hibernate, hide in the soil, in the crevices of buildings, under the remains of plants.
They crawl under the baseboards, on the ceiling, in the cracks in the window sills. It is difficult to use a remedy for spider mites during this period, since the spiders themselves are not visible, and their places of activity are also - they sleep and do not eat. Visually it seems that everything is in order, but the tick is just waiting for a favorable period.
Tick larvae and adults are carried by humans, animals, on the web. Yes, they crawl fast. In good conditions, egg clutches remain viable for up to 5 years.
Severity of damage
The tiny size is offset by the numbers. Spider mites live in colonies, they can give from 12 to 20 generations per year. And everyone, starting with the larvae, eats much larger than their size. Larvae and adults feed on plant sap, which is obtained by piercing a leaf. Numerous bites are those very small white dots. The affected leaf loses chlorophyll, the process of photosynthesis is disrupted. In addition, due to the destruction of the shell, the cell loses moisture, the sheet begins to dry. Dead cells merge into one yellow spot, then the stem, flowers, top are damaged - and the plant dies.
In parallel with the main harm, spider mites are carriers of various harmful bacteria and pathogens. It is more effective to use a spider mite remedy at the beginning of an infection. A plant that is already covered with cobwebs is too late and difficult to save. In addition to the main harm, ticks are carriers of various viruses and harmful bacteria, which also cause side diseases.
Whether in the garden, in the garden ...
Methods of dealing with this scourge are not limited to the use of chemicals. Folk remedies for spider mites, physical destruction and biological intervention are also used. The spider mite in our strip has many varieties, but some of them are especially dangerous for the garden. You need to know this in order to determine the best spider mite remedy for a particular group of plants, and apply it at the most appropriate time.
The problem with some indoor species is that spraying is not suitable for them. And how to deal with spider mites - folk remedies or insecticides in this case? There is a way out: tampons soaked in a prepared remedy from onion or garlic, a decoction of herbs are placed in pots with affected plants. The plant is covered with a plastic bag for several days to increase the concentration of fumes.
If this misfortune started up in the apartment, disinfect the entire window sill, preventive treatment of healthy plants. In some cases, it may be necessary to sacrifice one, the most diseased flower, in order to save the rest. Ticks spread very quickly and hide well when adverse conditions occur.
The fight is physical
This concept means, first of all, the creation of favorable conditions for the development of plants: watering, destruction of weeds. For indoor plants, the temperature of the content is of great importance.
The first single affected plants must be removed immediately. Destroy torn out damaged sheets or shoots, do not just leave them on the ground - this is a breeding ground for the next generations of the pest.
Biological impact
To combat the tick, biological preparations have been created: Akarin, Bitoxibacillin, Fitoverm. How to apply them correctly?
- "Akarin" is diluted in a proportion of 2 ml of the drug per liter of water.
- "Bitoxibacillin" - 80-100 g per 10 liters of water. The disadvantage of this drug is that it can cause allergies when in contact with treated plants.
Both solutions are used throughout the growing season every 15-17 days.
- "Fitoverm" is diluted in the amount of 10 ml per 10 liters of water. Processing is carried out every 7-10 or 14-20 days. The treatment period depends on the age and size of the plant.
Another common drawback of biological agents is that they act exclusively on adults. Eggs and larvae are not affected. The processing period depends on this: for each generation - a new portion.
The pesticides clofentezin and flufenzin belong to the group of hormonal pesticides. They do not destroy all individuals at once, but sterilize the uterus. The effect of their use is long-term, but becomes noticeable after a few days. Some individuals die out, while others do not appear. If you need to destroy the tick urgently, you can mix this drug with any of the biological products.
Advantages and disadvantages of "chemistry"
What you need to know about the use of chemical industry preparations in the fight against spider mites?
Fighting spider mites with folk remedies
Methods, proven by folk experience, have an effect no worse than industrial preparations. In any case, they will not bring harm to either man or animal. Ingredients for solutions - the simplest and most affordable. Not only houseplants, but also the inhabitants of the beds, especially cucumbers, are subject to processing with folk remedies.
- At the first sign of illness, take a cold shower daily for the plant. This is suitable for those species that do not mind such a procedure.
- You can use either dishwashing detergent - wash the leaves, stems, pot, window sill well.
- Grind approximately 150 g of peeled garlic in any way, pour 1 liter of water and leave for 5-7 hours. Dilute the resulting concentrate in the proportion of 5 ml / 1 l of water, use for plant treatment.
- Like garlic, onion infusion is prepared, only it is used without dilution. Garlic cloves, onion slices can be put in a pot if the houseplant does not like spraying. Cover the pot with a plastic bag.
- An infusion is prepared from the roots of dandelion officinalis: 20 g of roots per 1 liter of water. Take warm water. You can apply after a couple of hours.
- It is possible to treat infected places of hard-leaved plants with a swab dipped in medical alcohol. This must be done carefully and quickly so as not to burn the leaves.
- Cyclamen. Boil several tubers of this plant for 40 minutes. A day later, the broth is ready for use.
- yarrow. Pour a kilogram of dried grass with a bucket of boiling water. After 3-4 days, add 3 tbsp. spoons of grated laundry soap.
- Tar soap. Proportion: 10 g per liter of water.
- Turpentine. A jar of turpentine is placed near the affected houseplant and covered with a plastic bag together for several hours.
Prevention
On the beds:
- Timely destruction of weeds in the beds and around greenhouses, greenhouses.
- Ensure adequate watering.
- It is good to fertilize plants - they have greater viability against diseases and infection.
- Clean the garden in the fall, dig deep into the ground.
Indoors:
- Plants should be kept in optimal conditions: excessive dryness, as well as excessive moisture, is a favorable environment for spider mites.
- On broad-leaved plants, dust regularly with a damp, clean cloth, periodically pamper the indoor garden with shower rain (except for those who are harmful).
- Withered flowers, dried leaves, remove in time. This is not only the prevention of diseases, but also a way to extend the flowering period.
- There is a good remedy for preventing the appearance of spider mites - a few drops of neem tree oil added to the water for spraying.
- All medicinal folk methods aimed at destroying the pest can be used in smaller doses for preventive treatment. If you don’t want to lose your favorite home plants or your cucumber crop, treat them occasionally with an infusion that is harmless to people.
Firstly, it spoils the appearance of flowers, and secondly, it leads to their death. But if you know how dangerous the spider mite is and how to deal with it, you can completely protect your garden from this.
Spider mite: pest description
The spider mite is a representative of the arachnid class. It is resistant to insecticides, chemicals from common mites hardly have an effect on spider mites. The pest is red, yellow or orange. The cobweb is one of the most common pests orchard and orchard.
The cobweb is a very small tick, a small insect that has an oval shape and reaches a size of 0.4-1.0 mm. Some individuals with a good appetite can reach 2 mm. The body of the pest is covered with small bristles, placed very rarely.
Pests settle on the underside of the leaf. You can identify insect infestation by looking at the light dots on the surface of the leaf. After some time, they move to the upper side of the sheet. 
Reproduction of pests occurs when the daylight hours are more than 14 hours and the air temperature is from 12 to 40 degrees. In difficult conditions, females hide in shelters and fall into diapause, during which life processes in the body slow down, which allows insects to exist for a long time without food.
The female pest comes to life immediately after the conditions become favorable, and begins to absorb a large amount of food and multiply. These insects do not tolerate moisture, so dry air is a favorable environment in the premises.
The cobweb lives in gardens and vegetable gardens, but can easily get into the room - it can fly in with a gust of wind through an open window. The spider mite in this case is placed on indoor flowers and feeds on them. 
Also, a flower mite can appear in a house on a bouquet of flowers or with land for planting, and the question arises: how to get rid of it. If a spider mite has appeared on houseplants, you need to know how to deal with it properly.
What harm can a spider mite cause to plants, signs of a pest
The most common types are common and red spider mite. The usual one is harmful, and vegetable crops. Cell sap is the insect's favorite food. They pierce the surface of the leaves and infect the representatives of the flora, sucking out the juice and violating the structural integrity - the leaves dry out and crumble. 
Since the insect is very small, it is difficult to detect it. A sign that the plant is sick is web. If insects accumulate in large numbers on the leaves, light spots are found, which form large white areas and increase in size.
On an infected flower, leaves and buds fall off, flowering stops. Most often, you can find a spider mite on a rose or chrysanthemum.
In the affected leaf, the intensity of photosynthesis slows down, which makes the flower sickly and susceptible to infectious diseases. The pest itself is a distributor of infections: gray rot, viral diseases.
How to deal with spider mites
Let's look at how to deal with spider mites.
After the spider mite has appeared on the plants, it is necessary to immediately begin to fight it.
First, treat the plant with a solution of detergent or laundry soap. Use the solution warm. If you use this method, you will not get rid of the pest completely, but you can destroy a significant part. 
If the cobweb appeared on single flowers, they must be removed. The fight against spider mites is, first of all, proper watering, after which the plants should be covered with plastic bags for three days.
Did you know? Many insects live without food for several years. For example, a scorpion can live without food for two years, and a tick for ten years.
Chemical methods of struggle, how to get rid of spider mites with the help of drugs
To get rid of the pest completely, make a small droplet spraying of the leaves. To do this, use phosphorus or sulfur preparations. Sulfur and phosphorus preparations for spider mites should be alternated.
The following substances are also effective in controlling insects:
- "Vermitek";
These high-quality preparations are able to effectively destroy the pest. It is required to spray plantings several times with a break of a couple of weeks, since insecticides cannot kill insect eggs, it is necessary to wait until new pests are born.
Means "Fitoverm" can destroy pests even indoors, since the drug has a low toxicity. Protective equipment should also be remembered: wash your hands thoroughly after handling, change clothes.
The drug "Aktellik" is an even more effective remedy for pests. It is much more toxic and kills insects almost immediately. "Aktellik" is recommended when other means no longer help, with massive damage to plants. Treatment with this drug is carried out only in open space, all precautions are observed and kept away from home.
"Neoron" destroys both adults and their eggs after two treatments.
Important! The insect does not tolerate ultraviolet rays, for this reason it hides under the leaves. It will not be possible to completely get rid of it with the help of ultraviolet light, but it is possible to reduce the population size.
Folk methods of dealing with spider mites
If it is not possible to purchase a chemical pesticide, folk home remedies for tick control are used. A fairly effective method of dealing with cobwebs is dousing with cold water. Douche is carried out only if the plant is able to withstand it. The fight against spider mites with folk remedies is also possible when the plant cannot be sprayed - you need to place a jar of turpentine or finely chopped garlic near it. The bush with the indicated agent is covered with oilcloth and left for several hours.
Garlic can also be used to make a preparation that is sprayed on an infected plant. Take about 200 grams of finely chopped garlic and pour a liter of water. Close the container with the mixture tightly and infuse for a day. To spray affected flowers, use only 6 grams of solution per liter of water.
In a similar way, onion solution can be made, which does not need to be diluted.
Medicinal dandelion is very effective in insect control. In finished form, this remedy is sold in any pharmacy. Grind 30 grams of dandelion roots and pour a liter of water. Let the solution stand for several hours. Strain and use as a spray. 
Another folk remedy is
