How to Get Rid of Red Spiders Organically

Red spider mites are tiny sap-sucking pests that are often difficult to eradicate. They attach to the underside of leaves of many plants and suck up the nutrients in the leaves, sometimes causing the leaves to dry out and die. Once you’ve identified an infestation of red spider mites, you can get rid of them with natural methods and maintain a good plant care regimen.

Table of Contents

Identify red spiders

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Identify plants that attract red spiders. The red spider likes a wide variety of plants, both outdoor and indoor, including strawberries, melons, beans, tomatoes, eggplants, fruit trees, flowers, ornamentals, and most houseplants. ^{[1] X Research Source}

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Recognize the signs of a red spider infection. You can identify plants infested with red spider mites based on the condition of the plants. Red spider mites suck plant sap, resulting in leaf damage. Some obvious signs of red spiders are:

Yellow, brown or white spots on leaves
Tiny white spots moving on leaves (they are red spiders)
White cobwebs like cotton thread appear on the undersides of leaves
Finally, leaves can curl after they change color and fall

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Check out the red spider. Before starting treatment, you should know well what red spiders look like and their harmful effects. If you can’t see the red spider on the leaves, you can hold the branch on a piece of white paper and shake it gently to let the red spider fall onto the paper. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Red spiders are so small that they are hard to see, but you can use a magnifying glass to see their tiny red, brown, yellow or green bodies with eight legs.
Red spiders usually live in hot, dry, dusty conditions and are most likely to appear in places where there are no predators for them, such as trees that have been sprayed with pesticides. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Handling red spiders

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Know the benefits of organic treatment. Insecticide chemicals can kill insects that eat red spiders, creating conditions for red spiders to grow and spread on trees. Red spider mites are known to become resistant to some pesticides fairly quickly, so it’s best to control them with natural methods. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Female red spiders can lay up to 300 eggs continuously for several weeks. If some eggs survive the insecticide spray, the red spider problem can worsen.

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Immediately isolate infected plants. Before starting to get rid of red spider mites, you need to move the infected plant to a separate area, separate from other plants. This will prevent the red spider from spreading and damaging the remaining plants.

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Prune trees. After moving the tree to the quarantine area, trim all branches, leaves or infested parts of the tree and throw it in the trash. Make sure to remove all cobwebs. Unfortunately, you may have to remove all heavily infected plants to prevent red spider mites from spreading to other plants. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Remember to put red spider-infested leaves in a trash bag so they don’t spread. The red spider can find its way to other plants if you throw the infected plant in the compost pile.

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Spray water on the tree. Use a pressure hose to spray a lot of water on the plant. This will dislodge and kill some red spiders, reducing the number of red spiders on the tree. With houseplants, you can wash them with a wet sponge or take them outside to spray. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

This method often has to be repeated to get rid of red spiders effectively.

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Use natural enemies. This is a great way, because releasing natural predators into the tree will help kill red spiders, or at least reduce the number of red spiders to a minimum, and you will not have to worry about red spiders continue to destroy trees. You can buy these natural enemies at reputable nurseries. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Ladybugs, tendrils, and carnivores are the best predators to deal with red spiders.
The best time to release predators is when the red spider population is relatively small. You also need to make sure you buy the right natural enemies for your plants and release them in the right season. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

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Make soapy water. Soap water is a natural and popular way to kill red spiders. You can mix 2 tablespoons of mild soap, 1 or 2 tablespoons of cooking oil with 1 quart of water. Spray thoroughly on the plant, repeat every 4-7 days until no more red spider mites.

Mild soaps like baby wash can be better than stronger soaps like dishwashing liquid, which can damage plants. However, you can still use a stronger soap, as long as you test it on a small part of the plant first to make sure it doesn’t burn the leaves.
The cooking oil will coat the red spider and help the solution adhere to the leaves.
Be careful when spraying the solution if you see beneficial insects on the plants, as the solution will also harm these animals. You should also avoid spraying when the sun shines directly on the leaves to prevent the solution from drying out quickly. ^{[9] X Research Source}

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Pepper spray. This is a popular way to control red spider mites and other pests. Mix 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper or chili sauce in 1 quart of warm water and a few drops of dishwashing liquid. Let the solution settle overnight, then strain through a fine sieve and spray on the undersides of leaves, being careful to keep them away. Shake occasionally to prevent the ingredients in the solution from settling. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Always test the solution on a small part of the plant to make sure the plant is not damaged.
To make the solution stronger, you can add chopped onions and garlic.

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Spray oil solution. Many essential oils can help kill and prevent red spider mites. The advantage of these solutions is that they do not harm the plants and have natural properties that act on red spider mites, usually killing them. You can mix the essential oil solution in a 1-liter bottle with half a bottle of warm water, then add 10 -20 ml of essential oil. Some essential oils that you can use are: ^{[11] X Research Source}

- Neem oil
- Eucalyptus oil
- Lemon oil
- Cinnamon Oil
- Peppermint Oil
- Rosemary Oil
- Chamomile oil
- Thyme Oil
Use a higher concentration when using oils with a light scent, and use a lower concentration for oils with a strong scent.
Never pour essential oils directly onto a plant without first diluting it, as this could very well damage the plant.

Prevent red spider

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Provide enough nutrients for plants. Stressed plants are more susceptible to red spider mites. You need to make sure the plant is watered enough, gets enough light, and the soil has enough nutrients. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Warning

Only switch to toxic solutions or insecticides when red spider populations get out of control and natural methods don’t seem to be working.
When using a spray solution, you need to make sure it doesn’t harm the plants you’re dealing with. Different plants will react differently to different solutions, so you should always test a small portion of the tree first, and get rid of as many red spider mites as possible by pruning and watering.

Things you need

Water tap
Disposable gloves when wiping leaves
Aerosol
Types of essential oils
Dishwashing liquid or mild soap
Garbage bag

Steps

Identify red spiders

Handling red spiders

Prevent red spider

Warning

Things you need

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