As you wander your garden, it is important to be able to distinguish between the good guys and bad guys in the mite world.
The good guys most of the time are a bright red, pear-shaped mite that you can see as they move. Relative to the spider mite, this is a speed demon (which explains why it’s so good at catching and eating the spider mites.)
If you want to know for sure if the predators are working in your garden, check for “dried-up” spider mites – this is a sure sign the predators are doing their thing.
While predator mites (P. sersimilis) are red, the ones attacking your plants are recognized by the two dark spots on either side of their body (hence the name Two-spotted Spider Mite) although if you’re like me, you’re going to need a bit of assistance to magnify the view to see the spots.
Insecticidal soap will knock back the Two-spotted mite but it will also kill the predator. If you have minor infestations and there are dried up mite-bodies around, you may want to relax and allow the predators to do their thing.