Does anyone know how to get rid of spider mites????

Question

They are on a palm at work I don't want to kill it though!!!

Answer 1

Spider Mites thrive in a dry atmosphere, so "retaining humidity and moisture is a good way to get rid of spider mites." (1) The accumulation of dust on plants also encourages spider mites, so washing off your plants with a heavy spray of water & misting them will help. Use a humidifier & shade plants from direct afternoon sunlight.

Alcohol, oils, and soaps will either suffocate or dessicate the mites.
Some people use a 1:3 mixture of rubbing alcohol to water, mixture, to get rid of Red Spider mites.

Also try this solution:
1/3 cup of rubbing alcohol (80% or more)
1/2 tsp of a mild liquid dish soap
put in a 25-32 oz spray bottle
Fill with water, shake well.

Or
Murphy's Oil Soap spray:
1/3 cup Murphy's Oil Soap
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 gallon water.

There are also Horticultural oils & Insecticidal soaps to kill mites. "Derived from organic soaps like Castile soap, insecticidal soaps kill mites and other plant pests by compromising their cellular integrity, causing cells to rupture and die. The usual recipe is about 2-3 drops of castile soap for every quart of water." (1)

The gardenweb.com site debates Old Spider Mite Remedies such as the home-made rubbing alcohol/soap/water mix ... Murphy's Oil Soap spray... and...even a buttermilk solution. (2)
It works for them! They also discuss Safers insecticidal soap, & Neem oil.

If all else fails the most common miticides are Avid, Kelthane, and just about anything that contains pyrethoids.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

4 drops of Dawn in 1/2 cup off water kills red mites. If the crawlers get wet they're dead instantly. Some overlapping leaves will keep dry spots where they'll survive and occasionally one on the stem. Spray the tops too. Leave on for 3 minutes to be sure eggs are dead and then rinse off while still wet and dead bugs, 1/2 the eggs and the soap rinses off. Inside I found the easiest and most thorough method is to heat the room to 135 degrees for 2 minutes and everything non plant is dead and plants are unharmed. I later went to 145 degrees for research purposes and some of the half yellow leaves started getting curled edges but I don't think they were any good for the plant and the green leaves remained unchanged, so there appears to be a margin of safety before your plants are hurt. The good thing about this method is it gets any hiding on the ceiling, walls, etc. I checked a hundred leaves and did find one still crawling and again I suspect it was between overlapping leaves. I wish I took note if it was overlapping before I plucked it. I checked a couple dozen more overlapping spots and didn't find another one. A second bake in a couple days should ensure 100% wipe out, or even once a month for prevention. Going to high temperatures with a propane or kerosene heater even approved for indoors could use up too much oxygen and start producing deadly, odorless carbon monoxide so an electric heater is recommended or a CO detector. Some heating systems can do it by shutting off the rest of the rooms.

Answer 3

How To Eliminate Spider Mites

Answer 4

Yes, those insecticidal sprays work well. You can make a simple insecticidal soap from a few drops of dishwashing liquid in a quart of warm water. Put it in a spray bottle and use it on the mites. The soap spray acts by washing away the waxy coating on the skin of the mites and subjecting them to dehydration.

Answer 5

1tsp of dish soap in a spray bottle of water.
spray plant once a week until they are gone.
Shouldn't take long.

Answer 6

Get a spray bottle and fill with water and one Tbsp of Vinegar ought to do it, too....

Answer 7

sorry since i got bitten i only know of one answer