Spider Mites on Pothos: Spot the Stippling, Then Treat

Fine pale speckles across a pothos leaf are worth a close look. Spider mites are one of the pests that occasionally infest pothos, according to University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension. The same source says they can be controlled with thorough cleaning and frequent applications of insecticidal soap. Confirm them first, because thrips and other problems can look similar.

Confirm It Is Spider Mites

Spider mites are tiny arachnids, usually 1–2 mm (under 1/16 in) long, according to University of Maryland Extension. You will rarely see them clearly without a hand lens. Look for the damage and the silk instead.

• Stippling. Pale flecks where mites have emptied leaf cells. UMD notes heavy feeding can turn leaves silvery, then yellow and bronze.
• Webbing. Fine silk on leaf undersides and around stems. UC IPM says the webbing helps tell mites from aphids and thrips (UC IPM: Spider Mites).
• Grainy debris. UMD notes shed skins may be easier to see than the mites.
• The paper test. Hold white paper under a stippled leaf and tap it. Moving specks on the paper confirm live mites.

Spider mites thrive in hot, dry and dusty conditions. UC IPM adds that a generation can develop in under a week when conditions suit them. A pothos near a heater or in a sunny, dry window is a likely starting point.

Rule Out Look-Alikes

• Thrips leave silvery streaks with dark, tar-like specks of excrement, and usually no silk. See our pothos thrips guide.
• Sun or heat scorch produces bleached patches on exposed leaves with no insects or webbing. See the pothos sunburn guide.
• Even yellowing of older leaves with no speckles usually points to the root zone. See pothos yellow leaves.

What to Do

1. Isolate the plant. Move it away from other houseplants, and keep trailing vines from touching neighbours.
2. Wash the foliage. Clemson HGIC recommends a forceful spray of water that includes the leaf undersides, to dislodge mites and break up webs (Clemson HGIC 2252). A shower or sink works for a pothos. UMD also suggests wiping mites off with a damp cloth.
3. Cut back the worst vines. UMD says heavily infested plants should be cut back or discarded. Stippled leaves will not turn green again.
4. Treat with a low-toxicity spray. Use insecticidal soap or horticultural oil labeled for houseplants. Colorado State University Extension rates horticultural oils as the best chemical control for mites (CSU: Managing Houseplant Pests). Cover the undersides, where the mites live.
5. Test and time it. UC IPM advises testing a spray on a few leaves first. It also advises against treating a water-stressed plant, or treating when temperatures exceed 32 °C (90 °F).
6. Repeat. Clemson notes that spraying once a week for several weeks is often needed. Keep going until new leaves come in without stippling or silk.

UC IPM warns that broad-spectrum insecticides can make mite problems worse. Stick with soaps and oils on a houseplant. Our neem oil vs insecticidal soap comparison covers the differences between products.

Prevent a Return

• Raise humidity and avoid drought stress. UMD and Colorado State both list higher humidity and regular washing among the most useful steps.
• Dust the leaves. NC State Extension suggests wiping pothos leaves with a soft cloth to remove dust (NC State: Epipremnum aureum). Dust favours mites.
• Quarantine new plants. Colorado State advises isolating new plants for at least three weeks and inspecting them before purchase.
• Check weekly. Look under a few leaves each time you water.

For a wider view of houseplant mites, see our spider mites on houseplants guide. For other pests, see the pest treatment overview or return to the pothos hub.

References

• University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension: Pothos, Epipremnum aureum
• University of Maryland Extension: Mites in Home Gardens
• UC IPM: Spider Mites
• Clemson HGIC 2252: Common Houseplant Insects & Related Pests
• Colorado State University Extension: Managing Houseplant Pests
• NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Epipremnum aureum