Pat Kiewicz wrote:
Steve Calvin said:
I've got 'em. How do I get rid of them without hurting any
plants? I've read about introducing other predator mites
but it said that could take 5 years or so to "get them in
balance". I don't want balance, I want those little suckers
gone. They're all over the house siding, sidewalks, etc.

Red mites swarming all over the side of the house, etc. sounds
more like clover mites than spider mites. (Red spider mites are so
small as to be almost invisible, and hardly appear red to the naked
eye.)

Clover mites normally feed on lawn grasses and clover.

"Mites seen on the outside of buildings can be killed with a direct
spray of an insecticidal soap or regular liquid dish-washing soap at the
rate of 2 tablespoons per gallon of water. This treatment will not provide
any residual control."

http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef627.asp

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2095.html

Interesting, maybe I don't have red spider mites then. ;-)

Would the DW soap hurt flowers such as roses?

I did hit 'em with the stuff I posted about and as soon as I
sprayed 'em they died, immediately but again, no residual
control.

--
Steve