I am curious...

Do you see them with the naked eye? Do you use a magnifying glass? And, are they underneath the leaves too?

Thanks

I can see them with the naked eye, and they are only around the crown or base of the plant in the leaf margins or under the very lower most leaves. But, I am confused by the heavy rains causing the infestation.

Spider mites can thrive under many kinds of conditions, though they seem to prefer the hot, dry times of the year.

You should know that some insecticides aren't hugely effective against spider mites. And you should also know that many different kinds of insects and mites build up resistance to a chemical that is used on a regular basis. You might even have cyclamen mites, which are very difficult to get rid of.

Do you have a good extension office nearby? Some offices are staffed with real live horticulturists (or similar) who could check out your critter under a scope for a proper ID.

I guess that is what I should find a pest control office, but everytime I see them I quickly remove the plant and discard trying to keep the infection under control. I would have to find one pretty quick. I live in san francisco. I don't think we have anything like that. I have no idea who to contact. Maybe I just have to stop growing these little things like voilas and pansies? So far it has not affected the roses, but bayer advanced care is supposted to work on spider mites.

Work on finding out who can id the things for you. Perhaps a large nearby garden center. But be certain to secure your plant in a clear plastic bag to avoid sharing your critters.

Or at the Strybing Arboretum. Call first because sometimes the person you need to talk to is present part-time.

Beyond that, spider mites are NOT your problem. They don't hang out at the base of the plant and at the edges of leaves.

It was all a mistake. The tiny white dots turned out to be pieces of silica or some kind of mineral found in sand that was washed out or out and over by all the heavy rains. The plants were failing because they were water logged due to el nino. I never had insects on the plants. I thought I saw them moving, at least I think I did, but I guess they were not moving.

Thanks for the update.