Strange gossamer like pest on Hibiscus

[Jool]

Cannot find anything in our mediterranean gardening books but all the ends of our Hibiscus have gone brown and are covered with what looks like an ultra fine spider´s web (its definitely not one though as its very gossamer fine) with white flecks in. Everywhere this has been the new shoot ends are brown and clearly killed off so it has to be a pest - does anyone know what it is and what we should use to kill it off? Other leaves around the all brown area are now mottled or speckled brown and its not a happy plant. We have a lot of large Hibiscus and only one is affected at the moment so we need to stop it spreading asap.

[Jool]

WEll I have managed to find some info having asked on here! They are spider mites....

Spider Mites
My Hibiscus Leaves are Turning Yellow!

Spider mites are a warm weather problem for many hibiscus growers. They prefer hot, sunny, dry conditions and their levels can soar when the temperatures rise. If not dealt with they can cause all the leaves of a hibiscus to fall off and seriously damage the overall health of the plant.
How Can I Tell if My Hibiscus Have Spider Mites?


Spider Mite Webs in Bright Sunlight
Tiny Spider Webs: Look for tiny spider webs on the growing tips of your plants. You will need to look very closely, in bright sunlight, for very fine, tiny webs on the smallest growing tips or developing buds. If you have good eyes and bright light, you may see tiny dots along the webs. These are the spider mites. With a magnifying glass you can see that the dots actually look like tiny crabs scuttling along the web.

Stippled Leaves: Leaves become stippled as the mites pierce the leaves and draw out chlorophyl from them, leaving colorless leaf spots behind. If you start to see leaves that look like this, with yellow stippling, search for spider mite webs on the stem tips.


Leaf Stippled by Spider Mites
Yellow Leaves: If the infestation continues, leaves that are badly infested will turn yellow and fall off. For many people, yellow leaves that fall off their hibiscus is the first clue that something is wrong. But by the time the infestation reaches this stage, it is already quite advanced. It's best to learn how to detect spider mites in the earlier stages.

Sick Plant: If the spider mite infestation continues unchecked, the whole plant begins to look tired, with the leaves slightly drooping despite being well watered.


Plant Defoliated by Spider Mites
Defoliation: If left untreated the mites can create a mass of webbing over the plants, and most or all of the leaves will become damaged, turn yellow, and fall off.
How Do I Get Rid of these Spider Mites?


BugBlaster
Water Blasting: Mites do not like water and can be forcefully removed from the plants with water. They live on the undersides of leaves mostly so the water has to be directed upward in order to knock them off. They drown easily so between knocking them off and flooding them out, a good strong water spray can help control them. Unfortunately, many eggs will remain attached to the leaves so it is necessary to do the water blasting every day or every other day for a week in order to effectively control them. One easy way to spray the underside of leaves with water is to lay a potted hibiscus on its side and then to rotate the pot through four positions while water spraying to get good access to all the undersides of all the leaves. Another good approach is to use our Bug Blaster, a hose end attachment that is angled in such a way as to make spraying under the leaves easy.


Clean Leaf Spray
Soap & Oil: A safe and organic way to control mites is to wash them away with a spray of horticultural grade oil and soap. These are the main ingredients in our Clean Leaf Spray that is sprayed on the hibiscus to completely cover all sides of all leaves, then later washed off with a water spray. The citrus oil and soap in the product smother the mites while stripping away an essential waxy coating of many other insects. Clean Leaf gives the plants a nice shiny appearance and takes care of the mites at the same time.

Miticide: Bayer has recently released a new product that contains an ingredient especially for spider mites. The product is named Bayer Advanced 3-In-1 Insect, Disease & Mite Control. It comes in either a concentrate or a ready-to-use spray bottle. Growers have had access to good miticides for many years, but the typical home gardener has not. We are happy that this new Bayer product is effective at killing spider mites. If you try it, please let us know how it works for you! By the way, it also contains imidacloprid, an insecticide that is good at fending off aphids and whiteflies.


Healthy High Voltage Bush
Water - Your Best Defense: During the heat of summer keep your hibiscus well watered. Spider mites are attracted to drought-stressed plants and will go for them first. A well watered hibiscus is the first line of defense against spider mites. Be careful though, watering "well" does not mean flooding your plants then allowing them to dry out almost to the point of wilting before flooding them again. Best results are obtained by watering lightly twice a day in the hottest weather. Keep the water evenly available and your hibiscus will reward you with many blooms and healthier bushes.

[K chameleon]

b*****, got that too. What with "peach leaf curl", n non flowering lavanda, might have to give it all up and go back to yU.K.

[K chameleon]

Rhymes with Rugger

[murbisa]

Reading this topic I think this must have been what I had on one of my hibiscus last year. I seem to remember spraying it with soapy water (fairy liquid). I really soaked it and have not had a problem since. The leaves were getting brown spots on them and the plant didn't look healthy. It is fine now apart from losing all its leaves in the January frost and growing new ones.

[K chameleon]

Thanx Murbisa