Spider mites
Faint webbing and a dusty, stippled look are the classic signs of spider mites, which love a dry-stressed Calathea.
Diagnosis
Spider mites
What's happening
Spider mites are pinhead-sized pests that thrive in the warm, dry air a Rattlesnake Plant hates. They pierce the leaf cells and suck out the sap, leaving fine pale speckles, a faded silvery cast, and delicate webbing on the leaf undersides and between stems. They multiply fast and can overrun a stressed plant within weeks.
How to fix it
Isolate the plant from your others right away. Rinse the foliage — especially the undersides — under a lukewarm shower to knock off as many mites as possible, then treat thoroughly with insecticidal soap, coating both sides of every leaf. Repeat every 5–7 days for three to four cycles to catch newly hatched mites, and raise the humidity, since mites struggle in the moist air Calathea prefers.
What fixes it
- Insecticidal soap — Insecticidal soap smothers spider mites on contact and is gentle enough for Calathea's delicate leaves when both sides are coated.
If that doesn't fix it
This is general guidance based on common symptoms; individual plants vary.
Read the full Rattlesnake Plant care guide →
Reviewed June 2026 · how we check this