A miticide is a pesticide specifically designed to control mites, including plant-feeding species such as spider mites, broad mites, and cyclamen mites. Although mites are often grouped with insects, they are arachnids, making many insecticides ineffective against them.
Miticides vary in how they work. Some kill only active mites, while others also affect eggs or immature stages. They may act through direct contact, systemic activity, or translaminar movement, depending on the active ingredient and formulation. Because mites reproduce rapidly and can develop resistance, rotating miticides with different modes of action is an important part of effective control.
Not all pesticides labelled for insects will control mites, so it is important to use a product specifically labelled for the target mite species.
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