mites

Tetranychus urticae (two spotted spider mites)

characteristics: body colour depending on host plant, varying from orange to bright-yellow, red, brown, whenever there is a heavy spider mite infestation, there is often heavy webbing present, mostly at growing tips, very polyphagous, very rapid growth of population, especially at higher temperatures and low humidity, leaves turn necrotic at heavy spider mite infestations, spider mites enter diapause as soon as conditions become less favourable (short day length, decreasing temperature, less food). Spider mites in diapause are bright red coloured, adult spider mites carry two dark spots on their sides

natural enemies: Phytoseiulus persimilis (TETRIX), Phytoseiulus persimilis (SPIDEX), Feltiella acarisuga and Amblyseiulus cucumeris

hosts: very polyphagous

Polyphagotarsonemus latus (broad mites)

characteristics: very small, only 0,15 mm. in size, body oval shaped and very broad, translucent and yellow-green to dark green in colour, males have their hind legs deformed into threadlike structures with which they carry female nymphs around, females with a white line lengthwise on their body, eggs elongate, oval and rather big, translucent with white dots, mainly feeding on the underside of leaves and in growing tips and buds, new growth of infested plants looks stunted, discoloured and distorted; damage somewhat like damage from a virus

natural enemies: Amblyseiulus californicus and Amblyseiulus cucumeris

hosts: e.g. begonia, eggplant, gerbera, sweet pepper, tomato

Tarsonemus pallidus (cyclamen mite)

characteristics: rather small, only 0,25 mm. in size, adult mites are pale, brown and translucent; body elongate shaped and somewhat oval, males have their hind legs deformed into threadlike structures with which they carry female nymphs around, population growth with cyclamen mite takes longer than with broad mite, in greenhouses damage can occur the whole year through; outdoors in (sub) tropical regions mite population reaches a peak in August-September, all instars like hidden places on the plant like within leaf folds, amongst leaf hairs and within buds, infested plants become stunted and distorted, leave discolour, crinkle and roll inwards

natural enemies: Amblyseiulus californicus and Amblyseiulus cucumeris

hosts: azalea, cyclamen

Brevipalpus spp. (false spider mite)

characteristics: 0,3 mm. in size, flat, egg-shaped, red to red-brown in colour, eggs elliptical and orange to red coloured, mostly deposited close to the mid-vein, mostly on the underside of leaves, along the veins, very slow movers, damaged leaves get bronze coloured necrotic spots, often along the mid-vein, tropical or subtropical species, in Europe occurring in glasshouses

natuurlijke vijanden: Amblyseiulus swirskii

hosts: ferns, palms

Panonychus citri (red spider mite)

characteristics: adults are dark red to purple coloured, having large white bristles on their back, eggs are bright red in colour, occurs mainly on full-grown leaves, most damage on the upper side of the leaf, on infested leaves a pattern of small yellow to white dots becomes visible; at heavy infestations the leaves turn necrotic

natural enemies: Amblyseius californicus

hosts: citrus, ficus, palms