How to Kill Spiders Living in Houseplants
If you spot fine webbing and yellow leaf spots on your houseplant, chances are you have spider mites. With a magnifying glass, you'll notice that these tiny adult pests have eight legs. Despite this and the visible webbing, spider mites are not true spiders. Rather, they are leaf sucking-pests found most often on the undersides of leaves. Heavy infestations can severely damage or kill a houseplant, so adopt a few control techniques to quickly solve the spider mite problem in your home.
Isolate the infected houseplant from the other houseplants in your home. This helps prevent their spread from one plant to another. Don't return the plant a place close to your other houseplants until the spider mites are eradicated.
Spray the leaves with a heavy stream of water to remove as many spider mites as possible. Do this outdoors or over a large sink or tub. Pay careful attention to the underside of the leaves, where the mites are more likely to be found. You can also snip off leaves that are severely damaged or infected.
Use an insecticidal soap that is effective on spider mites and safe for your houseplant as specified on the label. Dilute with water if necessary, but a ready-to-spray soap is easiest to use. Lightly spray the mixture on both sides of the leaves, and let it sit for up to two hours or as indicated on the manufacturer's directions. Then spray the plant with water, and wipe each leaf with a moist rag to rinse the soap off of the leaves. You'll likely need to repeat the application within four to seven days, and it may take several applications to get rid of the spider mites completely.
Care for your houseplant in a manner specific to its needs. Give it the appropriate amount of light, fertilizer and water. Repot to a larger pot when the plant becomes root bound. Proper care helps your houseplant thrive and creates an environment that is less hospitable to spider mites and other maladies.
- If the spiders are large enough that you can see them without magnification, they are likely true spiders. To kill them while keeping your houseplants safe, vacuum them up or pinch them dead with a napkin. You can also place a sticky trap -- typically used to trap rodents or bugs -- on top of the soil or around the container. Some insecticides, such as permethrin or bifenthrin, work on spiders, but verify on the label that they are safe for your particular houseplant.
Melissa Lewis is a former elementary classroom teacher and media specialist. She has also written for various online publications. Lewis holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from the University of Maryland Baltimore County.