Red Spider Mite and Vaseline

Had a bad infestion of Red Mite in the hen house this summer and used Vaseline (in addition to the normal treatments) as a sticky trap smeared on the hens' legs and at each end of the perch rail, which caught hundreds and helped eradicate them.

Which made me think, as a preventative treatment for RSM, why not smear Vaseline in a band around the outside of pots, and/or around the perimeter of trays containing numerous pots if it will keep the RSM out? Only £1 for a big 375ml tub of Petroleum Jelly from Poundland.

Anybody tried this?

 

Not sure how successful it would be. I believe the mites can be carried through the air on a thread of silk to reach other plants. I've had reasonable success using a spray of Neem oil / washing up liquid.