SPIDER MITE
PEST PREVENTION: BY RICH HAMILTON
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challenge that comes with growing plants is deterring garden pests, and the list of potential insect diners wishing to feast on the fruits of your labor is a long one. One of the most destructive problems in the garden is the spider mite.
What are spider mites?
When temperatures reach Spider mites are oval-shaped and above 30°C (86°F), baby Spider mites belong to the only about 0.4mm long; they come in spider mites are born in as arachnid family and look like tiny spiders. They thrive in colors of red, brown, black, yellow or little as three and a half days. Females can lay 200 eggs in hot, dry environments, and green, depending on the species her lifetime. In just 15 days, especially where there are no new mites reach adulthood predators to challenge them. and then lay eggs of their own. Spider mites hatch at a ratio of 3:1 Spider mites are oval-shaped and only about 0.4mm long; they female to male, so it is easy to see how an infestation can quickly come in colors of red, brown, black, yellow or green, depending take hold before the grower has even noticed. on the species. Red spider mites, glasshouse red spider mites, and carmine spider mites are especially concerning because they are sap feeders, sucking juices from plant leaves. Other spider mite species feed on decayed organic matter and small insects rather than plants.
Lifecycle and Reproduction In a warm and dry climate, spider mates breed at an alarming rate. They can be catastrophic in an indoor grow room, destroying crops in next to no time.
Signs of Infestation Tiny brown spots and yellowing leaves are the first indications that spider mites are present. The mites appear as minuscule colored dots on the underside of leaves. They use spider webs to travel between leaves and branches.
How Plants are Affected Spider mites puncture holes in the leaf and suck the sap out, causing it to turn yellow. The entire plant becomes very weak, and because mites reproduce so quickly, it won’t recover from the relentless attack and will eventually die. Spider mites are super-spreaders when it comes to transmitting disease, as they travel from one plant to another, which poses another threat to crops.
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