Rieger Begonia Fine Webbing - Causes & Fixes

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Two-Spotted Spider Mite Infestation

Spider mites thrive in the warm, dry environments often favored by Rieger Begonias. The fine webbing is a hallmark sign of their silk webs used for protection and movement across the succulent leaves.

Very Common

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How to confirm: Hold a white piece of paper under a leaf and tap it to see if tiny crawling specks fall onto the paper.

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1 Immediately spray the plant with an organic insecticide to kill existing mites, eggs, and larvae.

Bonide Captain Jack's Neem Oil 32 oz

0.9 L • 1 pcs • Organic

$10

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2 Increase humidity around the plant and wipe leaves with a damp cloth to physically remove webbing and disrupt the mites' environment.

Flora Premium Plant Mister

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3 Monitor soil moisture levels to ensure the environment does not become too dry, which encourages mite reproduction.

GROWIT Soil Moisture Meter SMM-V3

Water Meters

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Broad Mites

While they don't produce large webs, broad mites can cause stunting and silvering that may be mistaken for webbed damage in Begonia foliage. They are much smaller than spider mites and harder to see with the naked eye.

Common

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How to confirm: Inspect the newest, most tender growth for distorted or puckered leaf shapes.

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1 Isolate the plant immediately to prevent the mites from spreading to other greenery and treat the foliage with an organic insecticide/miticide spray.

Bonide Captain Jack's Neem Oil 32 oz

0.9 L • 1 pcs • Organic

$10

In Stock

2 Carefully wipe the leaves with a damp cloth to physically remove as many mites and debris as possible from the plant surface.

3 Monitor the plant closely using a magnifying glass to check for silvering or stunting, and ensure the environment remains humid to discourage further infestation.

Flora Premium Plant Mister

Spray Bottles

$12

In Stock

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Low Humidity Stress

Extreme lack of humidity can cause Begonia leaves to become brittle and develop fine cracks or structural failures that can resemble web-like patterns under certain lighting.

Common

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How to confirm: Use a hygrometer to check if the ambient humidity is consistently below 50% around the plant.

build How to fix it

shopping_cart Recommended Products

1 Increase ambient humidity around the plant to prevent leaves from becoming brittle and cracking.

Flora Premium Plant Mister

Spray Bottles

$12

In Stock

2 Place the plant on a pebble tray filled with water to create a localized humid microclimate.