From: dave-poole at ilsham.demon.co.uk on 1999.02.07 at 16:33:24(3010)
One point worth noting is that spider mites, whether of the black or
'red' form, rarely thrive in humid, moist atmospheres, tending to
prefer the dry, warm air of the average, centrally heated home. They
can also reach epidemic proportions in glasshouses that are allowed to
become searingly hot and dry in summer. If you do not wish to use
malathion based insecticides, washing the leaves in a weak, soft soap
solution and then rinsing with clean water will remove most if not all
of the adults. However, the eggs are not so easily dealt with, being
immune to insecticides and often deposited at some distance from the
plant. In the home, this can mean eggs are laid on curtains, the wall
or even just the outside of the pot. They are so tiny as to be
Virtually invisible. The worst thing about them is, that they can
remain dormant for weeks or months, not hatching until air
temperatures and aridity have reached the right levels.
Keeping the leaves of your plants regularly misted - at least once,
preferably twice a day, will go a long way towards deterring
re-infection.
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