Spider mite freak out

[LemonBonsai]

Ok so im having quite a hectic day today so far lol. Have a seat and let me tell you a short story. 2 days ago I was looking over my plants. I have all my plants currently on a table indoors. I noticed a single strand of web. So i proceeded to look over the tree with care to see if I saw any other signs of spider mites. There was none, so I went on with my life, chalking it up to it must be a spider is crawling around spinning webs on the trees. Then today i was looking over my trees and I noticed more webs, but there were webs on different ppants, not just one or two, the webs are also not alot of them just really spread out, for example there will be a web strand here and then another strand on another plant and so on. So i decided to spray down all plants with neem oil, which I did and now my paranoia has gotten all my trees spread around the house each in their own quarentine.

So here is the dilema. Ive read that seeing webs from spider mites is one of the last symptoms you see on a plant meaning that the infestation has gotten out of control. I have nkt seen any other symptoms of spidermites including seeing the little bastards themselves.

The webbing also doesnt look like the compact almost net looking web with dew drops that spider mites produce, it looks like strands of web that spiders have been spinning, but heres the thing I cant find any spiders either! For a brief moment I thought perhaps there are a number of baby spiders all in my plants and that would explain the amount of webbing spread throughout all my ppants, but again, no spiders!

I forgot to try the paper test before I sprayed them down with neem, so I will try that tomorrow.

Another tid bit is that alot of the trees that I have found webbing on are absolutly growing like mad, new shoots everywhere on them! And yet there is webbing with no insect that I have seen responsible.

Am I going crazy and over reacting or does anybody else think that I may have spider mites, because yesterday I was sure I didnt, today I was sure I did, and now, well im just confused.

I will try and get a picture of the strands of web and upload one

 

[LemonBonsai]

 

[leatherback]

I live on the conscious knowledge spider mites are around. In the house, the greenhouse and outside. Always. So I only do something if their presence is clear. At the stage what you are showing, my assumption would NOT be spider mites. The would normally start with a few webs on the veins of leaves.

Does nto mean you do not have them. But I am not concerned (yet)

 

[LemonBonsai]

I live on the conscious knowledge spider mites are around. In the house, the greenhouse and outside. Always. So I only do something if their presence is clear. At the stage what you are showing, my assumption would NOT be spider mites. The would normally start with a few webs on the veins of leaves.

Does nto mean you do not have them. But I am not concerned (yet)

Ok so do you have any clue what mught be making these webs? If its not spider mites. I looked all over for spiders and cant find any either

 

[leatherback]

Nope. In our house I know there are spiders.. so I never worry!

 

[sorce]

Looks mitesh.

Sorce

 

[Cadillactaste]

... or aphids.

 

[LemonBonsai]

... or aphids.
View attachment 363967

Oh interesting. Didnt know aphids spun webs. Im wondering if I just caught whatever this is super super early. And thats why I cant see any on the plant. Either way I will see what the neem oil does. I will say the one day I came down I saw web spanning probably 2 feet. And thats what made me think it was a spider

 

[Cadillactaste]

Oh interesting. Didnt know aphids spun webs. Im wondering if I just caught whatever this is super super early. And thats why I cant see any on the plant. Either way I will see what the neem oil does. I will say the one day I came down I saw web spanning probably 2 feet. And thats what made me think it was a spider

I've had webs on my house plant from aphids. They are tiny white/clear almost early on. Just looked like they maybe on there already. Or could be a poor image messing with my mind.

 

[LemonBonsai]

I've had webs on my house plant from aphids. They are tiny white/clear almost early on. Just looked like they maybe on there already. Or could be a poor image messing with my mind.

I see so i did spray this plant doen with neem, yesterday, do you think that would be enough to kill aphids? Especially if its early on? I plan on monitoring them, checking for signs, and then spraying them all down again in a couple days. Regardless if theres signs or not

 

[Cadillactaste]

I see so i did spray this plant doen with neem, yesterday, do you think that would be enough to kill aphids? Especially if its early on? I plan on monitoring them, checking for signs, and then spraying them all down again in a couple days. Regardless if theres signs or not

I've gotten rid of aphid with regiment of spraying down with water. So it should.

 

[Qcu]

Hi, I'm new to the bonsai hobby (started like 3 months ago), just got rid of the fungus gnats infestation on my new trees, now I discovered another pests in my trees! Tiny little red spiders, moving around fast, I don't see any webs on the trees, they are just moving around in the soil and not on the tree itself, are those spider mites? Please have a look at the photos. Should I use insecticide or start with something less invasive like neem oil? This is so discouraging, I have been growing regular plants in my house for years and never had any pest infestation, now that i bought bonsai trees, there are fungus gnats, mites... I wonder what will be next week...
Thanks for help!

 

[leatherback]

Take a look at some predatory mite pictures online. If these are moving about fast they are probably on the hunt for something.

What species of tree did you get? Most of us keep trees that can stay outdoors, as indoors most often is not worth the effort, trying to keep them happy.

 

[Bnana]

I'm pretty sure the first series of photos was webbing from spiders. Many spiders are nocturnal so that you can't find them makes sense.
These fast red mites are predatory, and no that doesn't automatically mean there is a part you should spray. There are always little things living with your plants, mites, collembola etc. these predatory mites feed on those and at the same time perfect pests.

 

[Qcu]

Thanks for feedback, I bought Chinese Elm and Ficus for starters, I got them T5 grow lights as it is too cold to get them outside now in northern Europe.
@LemonBonsai Sorry for hijacking your thread, I didn't want to create new thread about the same topic

 

[Sno]

Am I going crazy and over reacting or does anybody else think that I may have spider mites, because yesterday I was sure I didnt, today I was sure I did, and now, well im just confused.

I will try and get a picture of the strands of web and upload one

Looks like your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man has been spinning some yarns while protecting your trees .

 

[LemonBonsai]

I'm pretty sure the first series of photos was webbing from spiders. Many spiders are nocturnal so that you can't find them makes sense.
These fast red mites are predatory, and no that doesn't automatically mean there is a part you should spray. There are always little things living with your plants, mites, collembola etc. these predatory mites feed on those and at the same time perfect pests.

I think so too, they are all back together now after staying in quarantine for about a week.

Thanks for feedback, I bought Chinese Elm and Ficus for starters, I got them T5 grow lights as it is too cold to get them outside now in northern Europe.
@LemonBonsai Sorry for hijacking your thread, I didn't want to create new thread about the same topic

Np!

 

[Forsoothe!]

These fast red mites are predatory, and no that doesn't automatically mean there is a part you should spray.

What planet are you on? Please give the species names for these ~beneficial~ mites that people woundn't mind having on their houseplants.

 

[PA_Penjing]

What planet are you on? Please give the species names for these ~beneficial~ mites that people woundn't mind having on their houseplants.

He's correct, at least some of those mites anyway, are good guys. I have them all over my yard and sometimes in my bonsai soil. The species I see in my yard is definitely beneficial. It's possible that some species of red mites are not, but I have never seen a bonsai tree infested and damaged by large red mites. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen, but I have never seen it. Though I have seen multiple internet articles declaring these red mites are negative, and some saying they're predatory. I could see why someone would be confused. For me proof is in the pudding, I tried wiping out those red mites one spring (when their numbers seem to spike) and had a bad problem with some kind of very small, very aggressive white mite species that summer

Edit, It looks like companies are actually selling red mites as a natural cure for the white bastard kind that kill plants. https://www.amleo.com/triple-threat...97CKrE9m3D6ou2m7mPyr-rQc2UbPYT8RoCXLkQAvD_BwE

 

[leatherback]

What planet are you on? Please give the species names for these ~beneficial~ mites that people woundn't mind having on their houseplants.

For someone doing bonsai for decades you never fail to surprise me how little you actually are aware off.