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MITES IN THE GARDEN
These animals belong to the phylum Arthropoda (which includes crustaceans, insects and spiders). Spiders and their relatives belong to a class called Arachnida which includes spiders, ticks, mites, scorpions and harvestmen. The study of these animals is called arachnology.
****************************** TWO SPOTTED MITE (RED SPIDER MITE)Tetranychus urticae  There is a wide range of vegetation these mites will attack; flowering annuals, vegetables, fruit trees, ornamentals, general trees and shrubs. One of the biggest difficulties in recognizing spider mites are causing a problem is that they are small, usually only 0.5 mm long when mature, and they spend most of their time on the underside of the leaves. Usually mites are discovered only when damage on the plant becomes conspicuous disfigured. The mites produce fine silken webs over which they crawl. The undersurfaces of leaves are often completely covered with webbing. When the mites are numerous, their webbing can cover foliage and flowers, detracting from the appearance of the plant.
IDENTIFICATION In their first stage of infestation they can be found on the underside of the leaves and the mites are barely visable to the naked eye. The population ratio is more females than males. Once the infestation has built up they produce a fine webbing all over the young growth and even onto material that the plant is leaning on. These mites can be moved about by dead leaves blown with the wind or webbing stuck to insect, birds, animals or even humans. During the winter months they tend to move from the top growth to the lower portion of the the plant where they can find shelter from the weather. The spotted mite are at their worst during the hot weather and tend to decrease in numbers when the winter rains come in. You will notice a faint yellow mottling on the upper sides of the surface of the leaves and as they continue to build up in numbers the leaves will then become yellow all over. The leaves turn thin and papery causing them to fall off, weakening the plant and reducing the quality and crop. If the flowers are damaged they will have dark mottlings or translucent spots. CONTROL
****************************** CITRUS BUD MITE Eriophyes sheldoni  Photo; LISBON LEMON with normal fruit on left and Mite infected on right of photo.Citrus bud mite is primarily a pest of coastal lemons. The mites feed inside the buds, killing them or causing a rosette-like growth of the subsequent foliage and distortion of flowers and fruit, which may or may no reduce yield and or fruit quality.
CONTROL
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