Houseplant clinic: should I be worried by ‘tiny spiders' on my plants?
I've noticed tiny webs and bugs on my orchid. Are these spiders, and will they harm my plant?
Diagnosis
Those tiny webs and minuscule bugs you've spotted on your plants sound like spider mites. These aren't spiders but microscopic arachnids that thrive in dry, warm conditions, so you'll notice they appear during summer heatwaves or winter months when central heating reduces humidity. They feed on plant sap, weakening the plant's structure, which leads to yellowing leaves, discoloration and eventually leaf drop. They can multiply rapidly, posing a risk to your plant's long-term health.
Prescription
Immediately isolate affected plants. Gently but thoroughly wash leaves and stems with a mild solution of soapy water to remove mites and their webs. Follow this by treating the foliage weekly with neem oil or an organic insecticidal soap spray. Raising humidity around the plant by misting, using pebble trays filled with water beneath pots, or employing a humidifier can also help reduce the likelihood of further mite infestations.
Prevention
Regularly inspect your plants, especially under the leaves and along stems, where spider mites prefer to hide and lay eggs. Maintain healthy humidity levels by grouping plants to create microclimates or misting foliage regularly. Implement good plant hygiene through regular watering practices and routine leaf cleaning.
Got a plant dilemma? Email saturday@theguardian.com with 'Houseplant clinic' in the subject line
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Menopause made my hair fall out. Then I discovered a new hair-loss solution. This is the secret ALL midlife women need to know
For me, midlife has brought various indignities, as well as many joys. But standing over a sink to count the number of hairs that had come out in my brush one morning has to be among the more distressing aspects. For the record, it was 201. And why was I counting them? Because I'd searched 'how to tell if your hair is falling out' online – and according to Dr Google, anything over 100 strands was a cause for concern.
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
WeightWatchers boss says ‘exciting work to do' amid impact of weight loss jabs
WeightWatchers was slower to adapt to the emergence of anti-obesity jabs than rivals, its boss has admitted, as the 62-year-old brand strives to catch up with rapidly evolving attitudes towards weight loss. Tara Comonte, chief executive of the US-based business, said it had a lot of work to do after going through a 'reset'. WeightWatchers recently announced it had emerged from bankruptcy after writing off a portion of the 1.15 billion US dollar (£860 million) debt on its balance sheet. It came as the business was competing with the emergence of GLP-1s – the scientific term for weight loss jabs, which work by reducing food cravings – and a new wave of apps and advice spreading on social media. Ms Comonte told the PA news agency that it 'wasn't as quick to medical weight loss solutions' as some other firms in the US, notably so-called 'telehealth' businesses that offer healthcare remotely. WeightWatchers, which runs some 20,000 workshops each month globally, is now 'at the beginning of the journey' towards forging a new place in the industry and meeting demand from current and future members, Ms Comonte said. 'This whole industry is going through somewhat of a reset and we have exciting work to do,' she told the PA news agency. 'This is a moment where, possibly more than ever before, people are talking about weight, and weight health… where people are seeking more education than ever before, and there are more voices than ever before.' Ms Comonte said the brand was known for 'trust and science' and it was important to harness that 'as there are more and more voices in the ecosystem'. WeightWatchers recently partnered with anti-obesity drugs provider CheqUp in the UK so patients taking the medication can access its 'companion' diet and lifestyle support app. It forms part of its efforts to muscle into the market by offering behavioural strategies and community-based support to people using or coming off the medication. 'There's no 'us and them' anymore,' Ms Comonte told PA, hitting back at weight loss jabs often being pitted as rivals to its model. Dr Kim Boyde, WeightWatchers' newly appointed chief medical officer, said not all its members will want or need weight loss medication – but stressed that it was 'imperative' the programme offers it to those that might benefit. Recent estimates suggest that about 1.5 million people in the UK are taking weight loss jabs. Health officials have suggested that they can help to turn the tide on obesity, but have stressed they are not a silver bullet and do come with side effects.
Reuters
5 hours ago
- Reuters
Roche to investigate whether new drug can delay or prevent Alzheimer's disease
July 27 (Reuters) - Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding (ROG.S), opens new tab plans to investigate whether an experimental medicine can delay or prevent Alzheimer's disease symptoms, it said on Sunday, as a part of the company's growing development programme for the disease. The clinical trial of the drug, Trontinemab, will target people who are at risk of cognitive decline and will aim to delay or prevent the symptoms of Alzheimer's, Roche said in a statement. Trontinemab is designed so that the drug is transported across the blood brain barrier—protective blood vessels that prevent chemicals in the bloodstream from entering the brain — in hopes of delivering more of the treatment to the brain. Rivals like Eli Lilly (LLY.N), opens new tab have been making progress in the complicated field of Alzheimer's recently, with Lilly's drug Kisunla getting a recommendation for approval for certain patients from the European Medicines Agency last week. Kisunla is already approved in the U.S. Treatments for Alzheimer's approved so far, including Eisai (4523.T), opens new tab and Biogen's (BIIB.O), opens new tab Leqembi and Lilly's Kisunla, are designed to clear sticky clumps of a protein called amyloid beta in the brain. They carry hefty price tags as well as the risk of serious brain swelling and bleeding.
