Spider mites
Fine webbing and pale stippling on a Calathea are the warning signs of spider mites, which love this plant.
Diagnosis
Spider mites
What's happening
Spider mites thrive in the warm, dry air that stresses a Calathea, so this fussy, humidity-loving plant is a frequent target. The mites pierce the leaves and suck out sap, leaving a fine speckling of pale dots; as the infestation grows you'll see delicate webbing in the leaf joints and under the foliage, and leaves yellow and dry out.
How to fix it
Isolate the plant right away so the mites don't spread. Rinse the foliage, especially the undersides, under a gentle stream of water to knock down the population, then spray thoroughly with neem oil, coating both sides of every leaf. Repeat every 5–7 days for three rounds to catch newly hatched mites. Raising the humidity afterward makes the plant far less inviting to mites, so keep a humidifier running once it recovers.
What fixes it
- Neem oil for pests — Neem oil smothers spider mites and their eggs on contact; reapply every 5–7 days until the webbing and stippling are gone.
If that doesn't fix it
This is general guidance based on common symptoms; individual plants vary.
Read the full Calathea Medallion care guide →
Reviewed June 2026 · how we check this