Is this from spider mites?

Good luck, I think over the years I’ve had all those white bugs at one time or another—mealy bugs, white flies, white and every color of aphid you can think of, and spider mites! Not sure if any are the same or not but every one has been a pain…especially the ones that can see/sense your presence and scatter away.

I’ve come to the conclusion, for me, is to just gently hose them off with plain water, until the beneficial bugs start to show up like lady bugs, wasps, yellow jackets, preying mantis, spider, I think fire flies are even predatory?

I won’t even use organic insect killer cause all insect killer doesn’t know the good from the bad—so—every year is a challenge.

But I tell ya, once the good guys show up they do their job!!!

I still want to check to see what's on them but regardless, since the leaves have to come off anyways, I may end up putting it outside and let the predators do their thing....
 
OK... the pocket microscope that @Figgin' A recommended arrived. It was difficult to do but I held my phone to the eyepiece and was able to get these images. This is at 60X. I didn't see anything that appeared to be mites or thrips. I did find these little white things. At first I thought they were eggs but some of them moved around. Also the dark (orbs) here and there.

I was kind of hoping I'd see something that looked familiar. For now it remains in quarentine.

Thoughts?

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OK... the pocket microscope that @Figgin' A recommended arrived. It was difficult to do but I held my phone to the eyepiece and was able to get these images. This is at 60X. I didn't see anything that appeared to be mites or thrips. I did find these little white things. At first I thought they were eggs but some of them moved around. Also the dark (orbs) here and there.

I was kind of hoping I'd see something that looked familiar. For now it remains in quarentine.

Thoughts?

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Oh yeah... those are your fig bud mites, buddy :) Another thing I hate seeing but not as destructive as spider mites... I treat these with sulfur spray... I barely see them anymore... only saw them on two new trees last year...
 
Oh yeah... those are your fig bud mites, buddy :) Another thing I hate seeing but not as destructive as spider mites... I treat these with sulfur spray... I barely see them anymore... only saw them on two new trees last year...

Crap!
I Googled for a picture and their they are! What sulfer are you using?


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Hold it up to the sun with the plant between you and the light - then you can see the webs when there isn't much webbing yet. Sometimes they are hard to see. You can also use DE powdered form in addition to neem oil (but not when wet). Be sure to get the underside and stems/stalk if it is mites. You really need a 30X-60X magnifier to see their little bodies.

It would be good to check before removing all the leaves, helps narrow down the problem even if it's not spider mites.

I have heard a lot of good things about sulfur also, but usually I use cold-pressed neem oil and/or DE.
 
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