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<DIV>In a message dated 11/4/2005 12:26:10 P.M. Mountain Standard Time,
webmaster@bsi.org writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>Bene Tay
wrote:<BR>> Hello to all,<BR>> <BR>> I have a slight problem with
Mites recently, it has took a toll on some plants. Some plants are covered
fully with web like structure with small red and white dots all around.
<BR>> <BR>> I've check the FCBS on pest on bromeliad and concluded it to
be mites. Generally i don't really like using miticide on my plants since i
live with them in the room. <BR>> <BR>> I've tried jetting them out,
soaking them long hours in water hoping that they will be gone after my
persistent manual removal. If there are any other ideas on how to remove it
biologically please tell me . I really do not wish these mites to over run my
plants as they're pack closely together one another.<BR><BR>Mites are
interesting as they are technically not insects so many <BR>insecticides don't
work on them, hence special miticides.<BR><BR>You might want to try another
soak in water but this time with a little <BR>liquid soap. Something that you
would hand-wash dishes with that has <BR>some grease cutting action to it. The
idea would be to overcome the <BR>water's surface tension and allow water to
pass into the pores through <BR>which they "breathe". A squirt of dishwashing
soap in a sink full of <BR>water should be enough. Give them a good soak and
then rinse them off <BR>before drying.<BR><BR>Let us know if this
helps.<BR><BR><BR>_____________<BR>Ken Marks<BR>BSI
Webmaster</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>These are Spider Mites. Either you have the two spotted mites, white
dots, or the red spider mites. I get them every year on my bananas when I
move them in my house before frost.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The Spider Mites (the Webs)<FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"
face=Arial color=#000000 size=2> have a long 16-18 day cycle. You can only
kill them with constant water on the underside of the leaves, everyday for their
entire cycle. Humidity helps, but they live on dry, dust, and warmth.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Take the plants outside and hose them down. No need to use Soap, just
plain water is effective If you can break the cycle.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>John</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>PS You can see these if you look at them under the microscope.
They are Spiders. Use an Arachnidcide. They have Eight legs.</DIV>
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