Question
I just read your answer about Miticide Spider Mites.  We actually have a huge yard full of spider mite webs/nests and we are losing our young maple trees that were just planted when the house was completed in the Spring of 2008.  I am concerned about the trees and it seems to me we'd have to spray our entire yard to get rid of the mites.  When we put a new decorative front door in they were even all over behind the old door frame.  But, I'm very concerned about possibly poisoning our next-door neighbor's dog and the small children that play in their grass in other adjoining yards.  What can we do to get rid of the mites safely?

Answer
IF your tree has spider mites it is NOT necessary to spray the entire yard just the trees foliage. Spider mites have tiny mouthparts modified for piercing individual plant cells and removing the contents. This results in tiny yellow or white speckles. When many of these feeding spots occur near each other, the foliage takes on a yellow or bronzed cast. Once the foliage of a plant becomes bronzed, it often drops prematurely.

Heavily infested plants may be discolored, stunted or even killed. Web producing spider mites may coat the foliage with the fine silk which collects dust and looks dirty.

Spray the foliage with a miticide making sure you wet both sides of the leaves. Miticides Spider mites are usually not killed by regular insecticides, so be sure to check the pesticide label to see if "miticide" is present. Pesticides claiming "for mite suppression" are usually weak miticides and will not perform well. There are few products available to the homeowner. Dicofol (=Kelthane) is registered for over-the-counter use but is difficult to find. Acephate (=Orthene), dimethoate (=Cygon), chlorpyrifos (=Dursban), diazinon, disulfoton (=Di-syston), and malathion have over-the-counter product labels but are considered weak miticides.

Check with your local nursery for these products.

There are numerous spiders that can make webs in the lawn and around the outside of the house. These are not the spider mites that infest the trees foliage. It is not necessary to spray these web making spiders--they do little damage and eat other insects.