Common crops affected
What is it?
Spider mites are members of the Tetranychidae family — not insects but relatives of spiders. They live mainly on the undersides of leaves, piercing cells to feed. A single mature female can give rise to roughly a million mites in about a month, and because of that speed they adapt quickly to chemical pesticides, making resistance a major problem with conventional miticides.
How to identify it
- Fine pale stippling or flecking on the upper leaf surface
- Yellowing, bronzing, then drying and dropping of leaves
- Fine silk webbing on leaf undersides and between stems in heavy infestations
- Tiny moving dots on the underside of leaves (use a hand lens)
- Symptoms worst in hot, dry, dusty conditions
Damage and how it spreads
By draining cell contents, spider mites reduce photosynthesis, weaken plants, and cut yield and quality. Infestations often flare after broad-spectrum insecticides kill the mites' natural predators. Their webbing protects them and their eggs, making heavy infestations harder to treat — which is why early action matters.
How to control it
- Increase humidity and reduce dust where practical — mites thrive in hot, dry conditions.
- Protect predatory mites and other beneficials; avoid broad-spectrum chemicals that trigger flare-ups.
- Remove and destroy heavily infested, webbed leaves.
- Treat with a natural contact miticide that also deactivates eggs, repeating to break the life cycle.
Recommended Vegalab solution: Spider Mite Control
Vegalab Spider Mite Control is an amplified natural terpenoid miticide. It blocks the breathing holes of spider mites so they die by suffocation, deactivates eggs to prevent hatching, and disrupts female reproduction — and crucially it does not cause resistance development after continuous use. Dilute at 1:500, spray above and below the leaves, reapply every 3–5 days, and avoid peak sunlight to prevent oil phytotoxicity. For mixed mite and insect pressure, MultiMite Control broadens coverage.
| Role | Product | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Primary control | Spider Mite Control | Contact miticide / insecticide |
| Companion / broader pressure | MultiMite Control | Broader mixed mite & insect pressure |
| Plant support | Armour Boost | Silica for tissue resilience |
Preventing it next season
Scout leaf undersides weekly in hot weather, keep plants well-watered and dust-free, and preserve beneficial mites. Strong plants resist mite stress better — Armour Boost supports more resilient tissue.
Claims and product availability vary by jurisdiction. Always read and follow the product label.