[Bozwell]

Hi All

I spotted for the very first time red spider mites, they seem to be congregating around a wall planter with geraniums and lobelia in it.
Excuse my ignorance but not something I've dealt with before they are in the front garden and not reached my green house and the back garden yet. What damage can they do and how to control them short of squishing them by hand.

[home made pie]

We are over run with red spider mites this year, there are everywhere, even inside the house, I don't know if we just never noticed them before or maybe it's "red spider mite year" like when we had loads of ladybirds in the 70's was it? ...I was quite young at the time but remember it being on the telly

[Babstreefern]

Don't let them near your greenhouse, they will destroy anything in it.  Get some bug spray and starting spraying - kill them

[Bozwell]

Any one got any pic's of the damage they have done so I am able to spot the signs early if they've spread.
Thanks for the bug spray suggestion, any preference which works best.

[Kristen]

Any one got any pic's of the damage they have done so I am able to spot the signs early if they've spread.

Pictures of a morning glory in my conservatory last year I didn't spot it for about a week, and by the time the predators arrived it was past hope - but I experimented with them anyway. Proof will be whether they come back this year I guess

"Thanks for the bug spray suggestion, any preference which works best. "

In addition to sprays you can get predators (or maybe they are parasites) - which may well be more effective, but there is a minimum temperature for the red spider mite one to work. (Sprays will kill the predators too, of course, so you may want to be thoughtful about using a spray if you are planning to then use predators)

[Bozwell]

thanks for the pics kristen. I need to find some nematodes or parasites. The infestation is much worse than I first suspected they appear to be coming from my neighbours garden. My sweet williams look damaged like the morning glory in your photos.

[Yorkie]

Before you spend money on nematodes / parasites, might be worth double checking whether they are only effective in enclosed spaces such as a greenhouse, as opposed to the open air.

[Kristen]

Good point!

I'm pretty sure I got my predators from this outfit last year:
http://www.greengardener.co.uk/product.asp?id_pc=4&cat=12&id_product=191
but no sign of any Red Spider Mite predators for outdoors.

[Bozwell]

thanks all
for the moment they still are out doors so I will continue squashing them by hand.
do you know if they are on the lady birds menu.

[savbo]

sorry if i'm misunderstanding but these mites are *around* the wall planter, outside? If so, could they just be the ordinary wall mites that parade round walls on sunny days, not the red spider mites that infest house plants?

[Bozwell]

Is there a difference then ?