I have several citrus trees and after noticing some leaf curl, I took a closer look and can see what look like tiny webs between the limbs of the trees and on the leaves themselves. In the webs there often 10-20 white dots. If I look closely I also see tiny sand colored bugs crawling around that are about the size of a pin head.

Do these sound like mites and what is the best way to get rid of them?

Sounds like mites. How to get rid of them? If your plants are in the house, remove all valuables and just burn the house down. That would be the most affective and sure means of erradication. Kidding...sort of. They will make a strong man start drinking heavenly.

Besides that, I know your plants are still small and manageable. Get a good, warm soapy solution, rag, and start cleaning buddy. The way it sounds, they have quite a foothold as it is. Separate these plants from all others... especially your lychees! You could also blast them with a hose. After one of these measures, then you could start using some sprays that deal with mites. Good luck.

Get to them quick! I didn't realize how much damage they could do. I had a major infestation last year and it set me back a year with some of my potted citrus. I have been looking closely this year and hopefully I will stay on top of them and the scale.

Greg

There are two very common treatments: (1) Spray the tree with a horticultural oil. There are two brand names, Ultra Fine and Volk Oil, which you can purchased at most any nursery, garden center or Home Depot. Make a spray mix of 1 percent oil and 99 percent water and spray both the upper and lower leaf surfaces plus the bark. Spray only in the early morning or later in the evening, but never spray during the heat of the day. Horticultural Oils are completely non-toxic, and extremely safe to use. This will kill all the live spider mites. You should apply a second spray one week later. (2) Make a soap and water mixture. One table spoon liquid soap to a gallon of water, and spray as above. With soap sprays you will have to spray for three sprays at one week intervals. You can also just use a hose and spray the tree with a forceful spray. One caution when spraying with your hose. Citrus leaves are very efficient in absorbing the soluble salts that are dissolved in your residential water supply. Repeated washing over a short period of time, can cause a build up of soluble salts to toxic levels, which will result in the tree's defoliation. Of course, this all depends on the soluble salt concentration of your water supply. - Spider mites should be taken care of quickly, but are rather easy to control. - Millet

I think we have mites as well. These guys are red color and they hang out on the plum/nectarine tree, around the buds. These bugs are SO tiny, like a speck/grain of play sand or dirt.

I will definitely try Millet's suggestion.

Better then pure soap is a soap - alcohol - solution:

Add 30 Gramms pure, clean potash soap to one liter (a quarter gallon) hot water, stir well and wait, until the water is hot to touch. Now add 30 ml of denaturised alcohol and stir well again and spray!

You can't hold and store the solution, use it fresh and you will see: That works fine!

Lime sulphur spray work very well for controlling these critters. Last year they moved in om my trees big time. The trees were sprayed once in the late winter and again in the fall.

Yes, sulphur works.. it's the same spray solution as for controling some fungal diseases.
So don't wait, battle spider mites just as you see them.