Spider Mites

[Altjaeger]

Does anybody else around here have spider mites?

They seem endemic to at least my neighborhood and are often killing plants by July. I am seeing this years first sign and using soap solution to fight them. Other pesticides require a 7 day wait and right now there are new ripe cherry tomatoes by the cereal bowl full every day or two, plus the larger varieties are coming in.

Do you have them and how do you fight them?

[ncboman]

What are spider mites?

ncboman

[Altjaeger]

What are spider mites?

ncboman
LOL, you may have to ask my wife or neighbor. I cannot see them but they can. I know they are on the label of the product I use.

They are tiny mites that harbor on the underside of leaves and kill them. thus killing the plant. To me it almost looks like the plants are not getting enough water, even when I know better, I have been carefully applying garden soap from the ground level upward to catchthem leaf bottoms. We will see.

[ncboman]

hmmm, well, stay on your side of the bed. I doan want em. :D

Ever plant marigolds? They keep lots of bad bugs away.

ncboman

[Bill Gunn]

What are spider mites?

ncboman


I think those are the things that you tell everyone you must of got on a public toilet... :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

[Rock Chuck]

Spider mites won't get you, but there are plenty of different mites that will. Ever heard of mange? Real itchy stuff that makes your hair fall out. You have mites in your carpets, probably in your bed, and most certainly on your pets. There are 1000's of different kinds of 'em. They have 8 legs, like spiders, and are ugly as sin. This photo is a common dust mite. You have millions of them in your house. Right now. They're a major cause of allergies, too.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/House_Dust_Mite.jpg/250px-House_Dust_Mite.jpg

[Altjaeger]

Here is a short write up from Texas A&M. An entry into search produced hits from pesticide companys and state universities in NC, KY, CA and others. A number of vareties, the symptoms were basically the same.

Common Name: Spider mite
Scientific Name: Tetranynchus urticae Koch
Order: Acari
Description: Adult mites are small, 1/32 inch (0.4 mm) or less. Body is globular, yellowish to greenish and is often marked with darker spots on the back. The body has eight legs. The mites spin protective webs of silk over infested plant surfaces.

There are many other spider mites common in Texas, the southern red mite, Oligonychus ilicus (McGregor) is similar to the twospotted spider mite. Another important plant feeding mite group is the false spider mites (Tenuipalpidae).

Life Cycle: Outdoors, twospotted spider mites may overwinter as adults or continue to breed on host plants in mild winters or indoors. Adults lay clear to yellowish spherical eggs, often suspended in a fine web of silk on the undersides of host plant leaves. Spotless, clear greenish to brownish six legged nymphal stages hatch from eggs and develop into 8 legged nymphs as they molt two more times. Adult male and female mites mate soon after emerging from the last nymphal stage. Generation from egg to adult occurs in 5 to 20 days, depending upon temperature. Many generations can occur per year. When heavily infested host plants decline, the mites spin silk threads and use these strands to passively "fly" or "balloon" in wind to disperse.

Habitat, Food Source(s), Damage: Mouthparts (chelicerae) appear as tiny microscopic toothpick-like structures with which they can pierce plant cells. Mites pierce clusters of surface (epidermal) cells and use their other mouthparts (palpi) to suck out the contents (mesophyll). Damaged clusters of cells appear as yellow (chlorotic) yellow and later, bronzish (necrotic) stipples on the leaves. On light to moderately infested leaves, stipples are concentrated around the leave's midrib and larger veins. Leaves on more heavily injured plants can become yellowed, bronze and fall off.

Pests of many (over 180) agronomic and horticultural crops including soybeans, cotton, small grains, vegetables and ornamental plants. They also thrive on some weed species (chickweed, pokeweed, wild mustard) and blackberries. All stages occur primarily on the undersides of leaves.

Pest Status: Plant feeder, causes stippling or bronzing of leaves.

Management: See Greenhouse Mites and Their Management.

For additional information, contact your local Texas Cooperative Extension agent or search for other state Extension offices.

Literature: Carter et al. 1982; Drees 1994.


From the book:
Field Guide to Texas Insects,
Drees, B.M. and John Jackman,
Copyright 1999
Gulf Publishing Company,
Houston, Texas

[bugsNbows]

We've got tons of them here. They can be a real PIA for sure. The soap / oil type insecticides help, but you will have to re-apply frequently and spray the leaf undersides. You can also buy (online) predators (such as other species of mites) that will kill the spider mites.

[DaveHawk]

Something else that will keep the bugs away. A Walnuts placed in a cabinet or the fruit of the Osage tree.