Are Your Houseplants Dying? It Might Be Spider Mites—Here’s What to Do

If the leaves on your houseplant look stippled or distorted, the plant may have fallen victim to mites, specifically spider mites. These arachnids are hard to see, reproduce rapidly, and leave a messy web in their wake. Spider mites are so small that they easily travel unnoticed from the outdoors, even on clothing.

Ahead, learn from our experts how to identify an infestation of spider mites, how to get rid of them, and what to do to prevent them in the first place.

Why Spider Mites Are So Common

"Spider mites are one of the more common—and exceptionally frustrating—pests of plants both indoors and in the garden," says Josh Brown, owner of Predatory Plants.

These arachnids are most often a nuisance for houseplants because the conditions of your home form a very hospitable environment for the pest. "Spider mites thrive in warm, low-humidity conditions found in most homes," says Melinda Myers, gardening expert, author, and host of the Great Courses How to Grow Anything DVD series. She also notes they typically attack stressed pants, which is common for tropical plants growing indoors.

Spider Mites vs. Other Mite Species

There are different types of mites, but spider mites are the most likely to afflict houseplants. "Spider mites are the most common, but cyclamen and broad mites are occasional pests of houseplants—these are tiny and do not form webs like the spider mites," says Meyers.

Your plant may have fallen victim to predator mites, which feed on spider mites. Brown says a plant may have predator mites if it was used in a greenhouse as a biocontrol. "The most noticeable difference between predatory and common spider mites is that predatory mites can be seen moving with the naked eye, whereas spider mites are only visibly active under a magnifying glass," he says.

Signs Your Plant Has Spider Mites

Knowing the signs of a spider mite infestation can help you get ahead of it. "Spider mites have needle-like mouthparts," Meyers says. "They use these to pierce the leaf surface and suck plant juices."

According to Brown, this piercing action typically leaves behind stippling on the leaves, or tiny white dots where the sap has been removed from the leaf tissue. "Usually it begins around the large veins of the plants on the tender leaves," says Brown. "In cases of severe infestation, the leaves will curl inward and are often coated in a messy web."

How to Check for an Infestation

If you see signs of a mite infestation and want to know for sure, Myers says to get out a magnifying glass and hold a piece of white paper under a leaf. Next, shake the leaf and watch for the specks to move across the page. "I often feel the grittiness of droppings and their cast exoskeletons," Myers says. "As mites grow, like insects, they cast off their outer skeleton—that is their structure instead of bones like ours."

How to Prevent Spider Mites

Before adding a new plant to your collection, there are a few precautionary measures you should take against mites, as they can easily travel from one plant to another.

Isolate Your Plant

It may seem drastic, but you want to remove any chance that a potentially mite-infested plant could affect the rest of your greenery. Myers says to isolate new plant purchases from the rest of your houseplants for several weeks and to watch for signs of spider mites and other pests before introducing them to the rest of your collection.

Clean the Leaves

Not only does cleaning the leaves eliminate dust, which allows your plant to access more sunlight, it also removes mites that may already be present. Myers says to use a damp cloth to wipe down smooth leaved plants and a makeup brush for fuzzy leaved plants.

Reduce Plant Stress

Since stressed houseplants are more susceptible to spider mites, it's important to promote a healthy and habitable environment for your plants. Myers says to make sure plants receive sufficient moisture and sunlight to reduce stress.

Increase Humidity

Since spider mites prefer low humidity in a home, one way to keep them at bay is to increase the moisture around your plants. You can do this by grouping plants (once you've completed the isolation period). "As one plant transpires—loses moisture through pores in the leaves—the others benefit," Myers says.

She also notes that you can set plants on saucers filled with water, making sure the plants are elevated above the water. "As the water evaporates, it increases the humidity around the plants," she says.

How to Get Rid of Spider Mites

All hope isn't lost when you identify a spider mite infestation—there are a few ways to get rid of the arachnids once they've found a home on your plant.

Soap and Water

One way to get mites off your plant is to wipe down the leaves with soapy water. To do so, Brown says to start by mixing a small amount of dish soap with about 1 cup of water. Next, dip a cloth into the solution and fully wet and wipe down the leaves, making sure to also clean the stems and undersides of the leaves. Fully rinse off any soap residue from the plants and soil.

Horticulture Oils

Myers recommends using horticultural oils, such as neem oil, which are organic and kill all stages of mites on contact. Mites are similar to insects in that they breathe through the holes in their exoskeleton—the oil coats their bodies and suffocates them, causing them to die off. For application, spray the oil on the upper and lower leaf surfaces and stems of the infected plant. "Since these are contact killers, repeat applications are usually needed since you may miss some of the insects," Myers says.

Spray with Water

A strong blast of water will dislodge many of the mites, but it won't be effective when done only once. "Water showering alone is not effective at removing mites," says Brown. "It can deter them and rinse away some of them, but most mites hide in the crevices or undersides of leaves and will not be affected by showering the plant." Repeat the process weekly to keep the mites from taking over your plant again.

Invite Predators

If you have room and the weather conditions are tolerable, Brown recommends moving your plant outdoors. "Mites have many natural predators, like ladybugs, and they can help clean plants as well," he says.