Spider Mites?? Help!!

14 years ago

My son had been growing a few things in our window,, 2 sunflowers, a pine tree seedling, and, he planted the inside of a rose at school( never sprouted) and had brought that home as well.

This morning, I noticed what Looked like tiny baby spiders, on my kitchen counter, but soon realized, they were not spiders, they are VERY tiny, and tough to see, and tough to kill, I cant just smash them with my finger.

I noticed, when I watered his plants, more of these bugs, were coming out of the cups that the plants are in, so, I threw 2 of them out, and took the other two out to the porch.

I am STILL killing these bugs!!

How do I get rid of them? Will they just go away, since I got rid of the plants?

Please, any suggestions, would be great!

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Comments (6)

hortster
14 years ago
First, if they are spider MITES, they are just (literally) dots. To determine if they are mites, give a hard tap to the leaves of the plants over a white piece of paper. If the dots MOVE, they are mites.
If you can identify them as tiny spiders with the naked eye, they are spiders, not mites.
Now, for an UNORTHODOX method of eliminating them: take the specimens OUTSIDE away from flame and spray the undersides as well as the tops of the leaves with methanol or denatured alcohol. It won't hurt the plants but will kill pests. Methanol is FLAMMABLE and burns hot so avoid anything that will ignite it! Gets rid of mites, mealy bugs, anything exposed. Again, UNORTHODOX, but works pretty darn good. Legally, I didn't recommend this!
hortster
mickeymomma
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you.
I got rid of the plants,I didn't notice them at all, until I watered them, then, they almost flood out of the plants, I seen a few before then, though they were baby spiders, but, they seem to have a hard shell, as they don't smash easy like a spider would.
As I said, I tossed the plants in a plastic bag, and took them right outside, along with a roll of paper towel, as I noticed they were on/in that as well.. I am now, looking how to get rid of them from my home,, I removed everything, and cleaned the counter tops and window sill with Windex, and with Lysol, and I am STILL finding them, not as many, but, more then a few.
We are going to attempt bug spray in the am,, but worry, because it is in the kitchen.

Any ideas how to rid them, AFTER the plants are gone, would be fantastic!
Thanks so much!!
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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
14 years ago
Not spider mites, which dont behave that way...not that you'd be able to see them if they did. I hope that you don't resort to a pesticide in your kitchen! Keep up with the soap and water.

You might consider that they came from the soil or even via the window through the smallest of cracks.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
14 years ago
Not spider mites, which dont behave that way...not that you'd be able to see them if they did. I hope that you don't resort to a pesticide in your kitchen! Keep up with the soap and water.

You might consider that they came from the soil or even via the window through the smallest of cracks.
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
14 years ago
relax mom..

odds are ... you removed the host.. and they will dissipate ..

take a deep breath.. and see what happens in the next day or two..

before you go pounding a for sale sign in the yard.. and moving to OH ... [hated MI rival]

this is one reason.. i never accepted house plants from friends ... too many hidden riders ...

call some of the classmates.. and see if anyone else has the same problem.. that would rule out the window suggestion .. [and find out how many BAD moms.. threw the darn things out.. the day after jr. brought them home and forgot about them.. lol] ... stay at home dad.. been there.. done that moment .. lol

ken
Lauren Carson
5 years ago
I have the same mites, hard tiny white bugs in my kitchen cabinet. I found they were eating on dog treats....at least that’s what I thought. I can’t seem to get rid of them they’ve even gone into the coffee maker and mixer. Did you ever find out what they were or how to get rid of them?