Quote Originally Posted by twilightattwelve

In hotter more humid envriornments they will start to spin webs where they will lay their leaves.
Dry conditions greatly favor all spider mites, an important reason why they are so important in the more arid areas of the country. They feed more under dry conditions, as the lower humidity allows them to evaporate excess water they excrete. At the same time, most of their natural enemies require more humid conditions and are stressed by arid conditions. Furthermore, plants stressed by drought can produce changes in their chemistry that make them more nutritious to spider mites.

Spider Mites

If he does have spider mites, it's likely that being left without water for a while contributed to their surge.