The things you've tried will usually take care of the problem, although sometimes you have to spray several times. Diazinon and Sevin will also take care of them (Diazinon lost its registration and isn't manufactured anymore, but if you have any old bottles around, it is a very effective chemical and can be used), malathion tends to be less effective. Diotomaceous earth may also help if you can dust it on the underside of the leaves. There are other treatments available, some registered on various horticultural crops, but they are only available on a commercial scale. Some of the treatments are quite specific to the mites and will not harm other insects.

In alfalfa and spruce trees where I usually see them, they usually start on the lower leaves and work up the plant. They also typically start on droughty plants. Outdoors, there are predatory mites that go after the spider mites and while there is a lag, predatory mites increase with the population of spider mites and will take care of the problem, however sometimes this doesn't happen fast enough. If you have a number of fair sized trees, such as an evergreen windbreak, that gets hit frequently, you can purchase predatory mites and release them to prevent the problem without spraying, too. If there is a lot of insecticide used around the area, it can keep the predator population low and allow the bad bugs to explode, so be sure to avoid unnecessary spraying. You may also want to survey around the area and make sure there aren't some other plants nearby with a high population that is repopulating the ones killed.

The dormant oil probably wasn't very good for the growing plants and may have helped to damage the leaves. The others shouldn't have hurt the leaves unless it was mixed too strongly.

Spider mites go after the underside of the leaves, so when spraying, be sure to spray upwards to get the undersides where the mites are. Leaves the mites have severely damaged don't recover, but once the mites have been treated, new growth should be unaffected.

To help reduce the initial surge of mites, make sure the plants don't suffer a lot of water stress--don't keep them wet or you'll have other problems, just don't let them suffer chronic dryness. Good luck!

Kelthane insecticide is best sprayed under leafs August is Mite month when population exploid. Now is late time to start spraying to contol eggs Kelthane be best for insects but hatch daily even hourly this time year and nightly. Best place to find some be biggest garden spray display in your area.

Predatory mites! I want some. Where can i find them?

Also, do lady bugs eat spider mites? I'm seeing a few lovely red lady bugs flitting about the garden, along with a yellow lady bug. Yellow! I swear!

:)

Estreya...that yellow one might be a spotted cucumber beetle. Definitely a bad bug. The (Cucumber beetles) spread mildew and other fungal diseases to cucumbers, melons, zucchini and other plants.

~Chills

Well drat! I looked it up and you may be right! We have one out here in the West called Diabrotica undecimpunctata. Not a huge problem, apparently. But i still plan to screw up the courage to squish the next one i see! :)

Spider mite predators are sold on the internet, here are some places which sell them:

http://www.benemite.com/

http://www.growquest.com/Spider_mite_def%20kit.htm

http://www.groworganic.com/item_PBE650_Mites_Predator_Unit_Of_1000.html

(Haven't purchased from these places myself, I just have them saved for when I want to buy!)

Carla in Sac

All:

Thanks for the suggestions. We're having unusually dry weather here and that may account for the worse problem with the mites this year.

Dave