Garden MD
Practical answers for common garden problems
Pest

Spider mites

Spider mites are tiny sap-feeding pests that thrive in warm, dry indoor air and cause fine light-colored stippling on leaves, sometimes with visible webbing in heavy infestations.

How to confirm it

  • Hold a white sheet of paper under a leaf and tap it; moving specks confirm mites rather than a nutrient issue.
  • Check the undersides of leaves and any fine webbing between leaves or stems.
  • Note whether the plant has been in an especially warm, dry spot recently.
Next Steps

Fixes connected to this cause

Treat spider mites

Spider mites thrive in dry air, so raising humidity helps alongside any spray treatment, not instead of it.