spider mites on Maranta
Quick answer
If your Maranta has spider mites, the most likely cause is: Marantas may be slightly more liable to red spider mite than the closely related calatheas, and the infestation is extremely difficult to detect at an early stage because the mites shelter on the undersides of the thin leaves; feeding hardens the leaf surface and a general lack of vigour in the plant are the first visible signs growers notice, by which point the pest has usually taken hold.
Start here:
- 1. Inspect the undersides of leaves with a magnifying glass as soon as you suspect spider mites, because once they have taken hold on Maranta they are difficult, if not impossible, to eradicate.
- 2. Spray the plant with malathion at the earliest stage, with particular attention to the undersides of leaves; repeated treatments at intervals will be necessary to kill newly hatched mites.
Why Maranta gets spider mites
Maranta leuconeura
Marantas may be slightly more liable to red spider mite than the closely related calatheas, and the infestation is extremely difficult to detect at an early stage because the mites shelter on the undersides of the thin leaves; feeding hardens the leaf surface and a general lack of vigour in the plant are the first visible signs growers notice, by which point the pest has usually taken hold.
How to reverse spider mites on Maranta
- 1
Inspect the undersides of leaves with a magnifying glass as soon as you suspect spider mites, because once they have taken hold on Maranta they are difficult, if not impossible, to eradicate.
- 2
Spray the plant with malathion at the earliest stage, with particular attention to the undersides of leaves; repeated treatments at intervals will be necessary to kill newly hatched mites.
- 3
Insert a systemic insecticide such as disulfoton into the soil as an alternative; test the solution on a single leaf and allow a day or two for it to take effect before treating the whole plant.
Keep spider mites off this Maranta
Maintain a stable temperature between 65°F (18°C) and 75°F (23°C) with a stable target of 70°F (21°C); avoid drafty windowsills near a door that are too cold and draughty, and never let the plant become too dry and cold, because Marantaceae are as vulnerable to environmental stress as they are to pest outbreaks.