Tiny red mites - Spider? Other?

[KingJades]

Found these little guys all over my portulacaria. Very, very small and concentrated on new growth. Plant is indoors and mostly dry.

Sprayed water, alcohol and soap mixture all over the plant yesterday and still have them.

No webs - just little guys crawling around.

Sorry for the photo quality but its the best I can do right now.

 

[Velodog2]

No idea based on picture, although they seem a little big for spider mites. Still, they are probably bad. I had a bad infestation of mites on my portulacaria last year that caused many leaves to shrivel and fall off. Insecticidal soap took care of them eventually. I guess if you don't see any deleterious effects you don't have to worry. But I would keep up with a good soap spray.

 

[KingJades]

Thanks @Velodog2

I definitely have leaf drop, but not sure if that's lighting, recent repotting or these little mites. My guess is the mites. I'm going to be out of town for a week and a half without watering this so I'm expecting it to be a bit dry....

What's a safe insecticidal soap for portulacaria?

 

[Velodog2]

I used Garden Safe brand from Lowes. I would think any would be ok.

 

[Quince]

If they are fast moving, red, and webless you are probably looking at beneficial predator mite.

 

[lieuz]

when you say leaf drop, who are the leaves when they drop? shriveled?

 

[KingJades]

Mostly shriveled or somewhat lethargic. Usually Soft. Many are still kinda green to turning yellow.

It's pushing new growth as well.

There are brown, completely dried out ones, too but they seem to be "normal".

 

[pitchpine]

If they are fast moving, red, and webless you are probably looking at beneficial predator mite.
View attachment 140027

Ooh, do you know the name of that mite? It could be the kind I've been trying to ID for a couple years now!

 

[Quince]

There are a couple species, but the photo is Phytoseiulus persimilis.
http://www.naturalinsectcontrol.com/product.php?id=000000321

 

[pitchpine]

There are a couple species, but the photo is Phytoseiulus persimilis.
http://www.naturalinsectcontrol.com/product.php?id=000000321

Hmm, probably not those, as I've never seen the ones I have on the leaves. The insects I have are in and around the roots and base of the trunks, they seem to be feeding on moist, dead wood. They're a dark red or brown, and don't seem to be doing any harm, but I've always wondered what they are!

Thanks though!

 

[Velodog2]

Mostly shriveled or somewhat lethargic. Usually Soft. Many are still kinda green to turning yellow.

It's pushing new growth as well.

There are brown, completely dried out ones, too but they seem to be "normal".

That describes the condition of my tree last year. I can't say definitively about yours but my conclusion was that spider mites were my problem. The key was growth at the same time that leaves were dying, indicating there was nothing wrong with roots, watering, etc

 

[Beng]

Try a product called Sultan and use a surfascent when you spray and you'll wipe them out. You could follow up in 7 days with a second spray. But if you get the tops and bottoms of the leaves then you should kill them all and their eggs in one spray.

 

[KingJades]

A few of my ports actually have these.

Alcohol, water and soap is definitely reducing the population. What used to be clustered groups is now a random guy here or there. I also removed many portions of the plant that didn't look so great. The tree is still in trunk development so it's not that big of a deal to cut the terrible, leggy, mostly bare portions away anyhow.

I'm going to be traveling for about 2 weeks where the plant will be hanging out without being watered inside so the mite population might be able to bounce back a little. When I get home, it will be almost May and the weather will probably such that my plants can just go outside. Once I put this outside can I expect that these will be eaten and slow down a little? I would continue the alcohol, water and soap sprays when I got back.

I was thinking of going with a neem spray, but would prefer if nature could help me clean these up instead.

 

[sorce]

ports

Spekboom?

You could probly water blast them off those easy no?

Sorce