white mites
paul eves
Posts: 1
Help !!!
I recently bought banana plant from my local store for my hallway, when I bought it it had vigorous cloth and I was very pleased with it then I noticed that the leaves where going yellow and brown so when I was watering it on a sunny day I noticed there was a silk web on it so I cut the leaf off for a closer look and I noticed white mites on it. Can someone tell me how to treat this I don't want to throw it away
Many thanks
0
Posts
Sounds like mealybugs - do they look like this http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?PID=201
Banana plants are prone to these infestations.
The web is almost certainly a sign of spider mite. These tiny pests can be somewhat controlled by raising the humidity around the plant. The easiest way is to regularly spray with water (several times a day.) Standing the plant pot on a tray of wet gravel will help, too. They love hot dry conditions and are difficult to eradicate completely. Use a magnifying glass to confirm:
http://apps.rhs.org.uk/advicesearch/profile.aspx?pid=190
There is a predator mite available called Phytoseiulus persimilis which will eradicate it, but they are expensive.