Skip to main content

What are those tiny red bugs in your garden, and what should you do about them?

Getting rid of tiny red bugs from your garden

Predatory mite
Tomasz Klejdysz/Shutterstock

No matter what plants you grow, your garden is going to attract a few bugs. Some of those insects are beneficial to your garden, like pollinators, but some of them can hurt your plants. Unfortunately, it isn’t always easy to tell if an insect is one you should worry about, especially if the insects are small. If you need help identifying tiny red bugs in your garden, here’s a simple guide for you.

Recommended Videos

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

1 hour

What You Need

  • Pyrid spray

  • Diluted boric acid

  • Cloth

  • Permethrin spray

  • Insecticidal soap

Spider mites on a plant close up
BirdShutterB / Shutterstock

Identifying the red bugs

There are two main types of tiny red bugs commonly seen in gardens: clover mites and spider mites. Although they are both tiny red bugs, it's fairly easy to tell them apart.

Clover mites

These are larger than spider mites, and they are most commonly seen in mild or cool weather. They are a rusty red color, and can appear slightly brownish in some lighting conditions. Clover mites primarily feed on grass and don’t often bother other plants. The damage caused by clover mites is minimal, and often the only sign that they’ve fed on your plants is silvery discoloration on the leaves.

Spider mites

These tiny red bugs are much smaller than clover mites, making them difficult to see, and they prefer warm weather. Additionally, spider mites are not always red. They can also be yellow, brown, and even green. Despite being much smaller, spider mites are more harmful to your garden, as they prefer other plants over grass. They leave small white marks on the leaves, and the damage can cause leaves to droop or die. Some plants may also grow stunted or misshapen leaves or flowers. Additionally, spider mites can be identified by the small webs they build.

Close-up of a red spider mite
Egor Kamelev/Pexels

Treating clover mites

In most cases, clover mites don’t require any treatment. The harm they cause is minimal and often unnoticeable. However, if you’re seeing a severe infestation, here is how to get rid of them:

Step 1: Apply Pyrid spray to the affected area.

Step 2: Use a forceful spray of water to wash them away.

Step 3: Apply diluted boric acid to the affected area.

Boric acid can harm plants when used in large amounts, so be careful when using it in and around your garden.

Spider mites on a tomato leaf
Catherine Eckert / Shutterstock

Treating spider mites

If you see spider mites in your garden, here's how to treat them:

Step 1: Wipe the plants with a cloth, removing any spider mites or webs you can see.

Step 2: Apply permethrin spray or an insecticidal soap to your plants.

You can even make your own insecticidal soap at home.

Step 3: Attract ladybugs to your garden.

Ladybugs are a natural predator of spider mites, so having them around will keep the population of spider mites low.

If the tiny red bugs in your garden are clover mites, then you can breathe a sigh of relief. They’re unlikely to seriously harm your plants and are more of a nuisance than a true garden pest. However, if you’re dealing with spider mites, you should act quickly to get rid of them before they damage your garden.

Cayla Leonard
Cayla Leonard is a writer from North Carolina who is passionate about plants.  She enjoys reading and writing fiction and…
When do banana trees fruit? Here’s what you should know
Your guide to banana harvest times
Banana tree with ripe fruit

Bananas are a delicious, nutritious, and versatile fruit. If you’re a fan of bananas, you might be interested in growing your own banana tree. These tropical trees can be grown easily in greenhouses for a hearty harvest of bananas. If you've planted your own banana trees, you might be wondering how long you'll have to wait before you can enjoy your fresh bananas. When do banana plants fruit, and what should you do if your banana tree isn't growing any fruit? We’ll answer all your banana questions so you know what to expect from your banana tree's harvest.
How long does it take banana trees to mature?

Banana trees are interesting, as they aren’t technically trees. They're actually herbaceous perennials, which is helpful since we no longer grow bananas from seeds. Instead, the roots of a banana tree send up a sucker, or smaller but still attached, plant. These suckers are then separated from the parent tree and planted elsewhere, to grow into a mature plant on its own.

Read more
Freesia care: What you need to know about these fragrant flowers
Growing freesia flowers in your home or garden
White freesia flowers

Flowers are a beautiful way to add color and visual interest to any home or garden, but they can be a delight for your other senses. as well. While textured plants can be fun to touch, and some plants will rattle in the wind, scent is the sense most commonly associated with flowers. Not all flowers have strong or pleasant scents, but freesia flowers have a lovely smell. If you want to add this gorgeous and fragrant flower to your garden, here's everything you need to know.
What are freesia flowers?

Freesias are perennial flowers in the iris family. They resemble their cousins, having long narrow stems like an iris and colorful cup-shaped flowers like a crocus. Freesia flowers can be almost any color, and while most varieties are solid colors, there are a few two-toned varieties. Like other plants in their family, freesias can grow from corms or from seeds, but they typically grow from bulbs, as it's quicker.

Read more
Is banana water for plants a good idea? Here’s what you should know
All your questions answered here
Bundle of bananas on a wooden cutting board

There are many popular gardening trends that take off through the internet, ranging from fun and interesting ways to improve your garden to some more bizarre trends. If you’ve heard about the recent trend of using banana water for plants, you might wonder which category this trend falls into. What is banana water, and why are people giving it to their plants? Does it actually benefit your plants at all, or are there better alternatives? We’ll answer all your questions in this simple guide to using banana water for plants.
What is banana water?

Banana water is exactly what it sounds like -- banana peels and water. The process is simple and requires little prep. Take your banana peels and cut them into smaller pieces. Soak them in water for a few days, then use the water to feed your plants. The idea behind this trend is that the nutrients in banana peels will come out of the banana peels and into the water.

Read more