Spider mites are supposed to prefer hot-dry conditions. I live on the Central Coast of California, neither particularly hot or dry, but I had major trouble with the little b*****ds this last year. I rotated insecticides for about six weeks with some success however I could never find the insecticide suggested to me by several list members, Kelthane. Spider mites have a breeding cycle that varies according to temperature so you have to spray often, rotating the insecticide because they develop tolerance quickly. I finally achieved a balance of good-guys/bad-buys by importing ladybugs, lacewing larvae, and predator mites (YKYACHI you become deleriously happy when you find adult lacewings lurking amongst your chile plants). There are different predator mites for different climatic conditions, some of which can get quite pricey. Fortunately the least expensive, Amblyseius cucumeris (if I didn't spell it right I still can't pronounce it) seemed to like this climate. Beneficial bugs are a good way to go, though they can get pricey. I spent about $50-75 on them, hence my wife's reference to "Doug's Multi-Million Dollar Chile Project". Hope this helps. I would think that, if the ladybugs have packed it in for the season, the spider mites can't be far behind. Good Luck. In Chiles, Doug ************************************************************* * For the sake of tolerance do we tolerate the intolerable? * *************************************************************