Spider Mites on Rubber Plant — Identification and Treatment
Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica)
Symptoms
- pale stippling or dusty appearance on leaf surfaces
- fine webbing in leaf axils or between leaves
- leaves that look bronzed or dull instead of glossy
- tiny moving dots on white paper shaken under a leaf
Causes
Spider mite infestation in dry conditions
Spider mites are more common on Rubber Plants in heated winter conditions when humidity drops below 35%. Despite the thick, waxy leaves, the mites feed on the undersides where the cell walls are thinner and more accessible. The characteristic glossy shine of healthy Ficus elastica leaves becomes dull as mite feeding damages the cells.
How to Fix It
- 1
Confirm: shake a leaf over white paper — tiny crawling specks are spider mites. Webbing in stem joints is another confirmation.
- 2
Wash all leaf surfaces (especially undersides) in the shower or with a damp cloth. This physically removes the majority of the population.
- 3
Spray neem oil or insecticidal soap across every leaf, working it into the leaf axils where the waxy cuticle offers mites some protection from a light misting. A weekly reapplication over about a month gives the treatment time to catch mites hatching from eggs the first round missed.
- 4
Raise humidity around the plant — mites thrive in humidity below 40%; above 50% significantly slows their reproduction.
Prevention
- Wipe leaves monthly to remove dust and eggs
- Maintain humidity above 40%
- Check leaf undersides during monthly care
Quick Summary
| Plant | Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica) |
|---|---|
| Category | Pests |
| Likely causes | Spider mite infestation in dry conditions |
| Fix steps | 4 steps — see above |