Purdue Extension
Ornamentals & Turf
E-42-W
Department of Entomology
SPIDER MITES ON ORNAMENTALS
Clifford S. Sadof and Timothy J. Gibb, Extension Entomologists
Spider mites are tiny 8 legged animals closely related European red mite, Panonychus ulmi (Koch)
to spiders. Several kinds are important pests of ornamental Plants attacked: Flowering fruit trees and deciduous trees
trees, shrubs and bedding plants. Under favorable conditions and shrubs in the rose family.
spider mites can build up rapidly and seriously threaten plant This brownish-red elliptical-shaped mite has four rows
health. of spines that run down its back. The eggs are bright red to
All of these spider mites feed on plant leaves by pierc- orange and have a stalk so that they resemble a miniature
ing leaf tissues and sucking the green liquid that oozes out. onion set with the sprout attached. In the summer, most of
Leaves appear bronzed after the green color is lost from many the eggs are laid on plant leaves. In the fall, eggs are laid in
tiny feeding spots. Heavily infested leaves and branches can a cluster on twigs and branches of small trees, often in such
become covered with an almost invisible webbing. great numbers that twig crevices and scars seem to be cov-
The best way to confirm a spider mite infestation is to ered with red dust. The European red mite spends the winter
hold a sheet of white paper under a branch and then to tap in the egg stage.
the branch sharply. If present, they will fall off and be seen
as tiny specks crawling over the paper. Crawling is the char- Honeylocust spider mite Platytechtranychus multidigtali
acteristic that most clearly distinguishes mites from the grit (Ewing)
that can also be knocked off a plant. Plants attacked: Only honeylocust.
This small, round mite feeds on leaf surfaces causing
WARM SEASON MITES them to turn bronze by July. Eggs are laid on leaf undersides
These mites thrive in the warm summer months. When at the base of the central leaf vein. Adults are greenish in
the daily high-low is 95°/75°F, the number of spider mites on
a plant can double in half the time it takes when the high-low
is 75°/55°F. Mites can build to large numbers when plants
are sheltered and have a southern exposure. Controls are
more likely to be needed when infestations are found at the
beginning of the hot season than during the early spring or
fall.
Twospotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae (Koch)
Plants attacked: Over 150 plants including bedding plants,
weeds, trees, and shrubs.
This mite is only 1/60 inch long. During the warm months
these mites are a whitish green with a dark colored area on
each side. In the spring and fall they tend to become rusty-
orange. The eggs are round and pale white. This spider mite
is common in greenhouses. These mites prefer to feed on
young and tender leaves. The twospotted spider mite spends
the winter in protected areas, such as weeds. They do not
winter on tree bark.
Twospotted Spider Mite Life Cycle
Spider Mites on Ornamentals — E-42-W
summer and then turn reddish in fall. These mites spend bedding plants in the hot summer months. Conifers and
their winter as adults in leaf bud scales and bark crevices. broad leaf evergreens should be inspected for cool season
They are a common problem on street tree plantings. mites in spring and fall. Learn to recognize the early feeding
symptoms of leaf stippling and bronzing.
Oak red mite Oligonychus bicolor (Banks)
Plants attacked: Oak, birch, beech, chestnut, elm, maple Decision Making
and hickory. If you are monitoring every 2 weeks you should consider
This small, red mite infests the upper leaf surfaces of applying a pesticide when an average of 2 dozen mites fall
oak trees and is most predominant on the lower branches. from a branch each time you strike it over an 8 x 11 inch
Feeding damage is usually concentrated around the leaf sheet of paper. Drop this action threshold to six if you are
midrib. In the summer, red barrel shaped eggs are laid on monitoring bedding plants with a 4 x 5 inch card. Keep in
the tops of leaves. In the fall eggs are laid in the crevices mind that spider mites must migrate to stems of deciduous
and around axils of small twigs where they remain dormant woody plants before leaves drop in the fall. This can reduce
until spring. the need for fall treatment.
COOL SEASON MITES Cultural Control
These spider mites are most troublesome during spring Spider mites thrive on plants that are under stress. Be
and fall when daytime temperatures are below 85°F. Controls sure to keep plants watered and give them adequate light.
are less likely to be needed in hot summer months. Do not over or under fertilize.
Spruce spider mite, Oligonychus ununguis (Jacobi). Mechanical Control
Plants attacked: spruce, arborvitae, hemlock, juniper, yew Spider mites can be dislodged from plants during heavy
and some pines. rains. Homeowners can reduce mite problems by spraying
This oval shaped mite is light grayish-green as a young affected plants with a steady stream of water twice a week
nymph and black and tan as an adult. Damaged needles during periods of peak mite activity. This has a minimal
appear speckled or bronzed. The round and brownish eggs impact on natural enemies of spidermites.
of this spider mite are often found at the base of needles.
These eggs remain on the plant in the winter and hatch Biological Control
early in spring, with outbreaks occurring in April and May. There are many natural enemies in Indiana landscapes
Adults become inactive during the warm summer months that feed on spider mites. These include small black lady
until the temperature cools in late August. Severe damage beetles, lacewing larvae, minute pirate bugs and predatory
can occur during a dry spring or fall. mites. Try to increase the numbers of these friendly “bugs”
in your yard. Generally, this means to refrain from pesticide
Southern red mite Oligonychus illicis (McGregor) use until spider mites threaten the health or appearance of
Plants attacked: Broad leaved evergreen plants, especially Jap- your plant. Also, when you choose to use a pesticide for
anese hollies and azalia in the southern part of the state. mites or other pests, you should try to use a biorational
This small red mite feeds almost exclusively on the tops material. Examples of these are microbial insecticides for
of leaves. Feeding on mature leaves causes a bronze color. caterpillars like Bacillus thuringiensis (Dipel, Thuricide), or
In April and May leaves can become distorted when mites spinosad (Conserve, Fertilome Borer Bagworm, Leafminer,
feed on them as they unfold. Red eggs are laid mostly on and Tent caterpillar Killer), insect growth regulators, or in-
lower surfaces. When temperatures rise, adults become secticidal soaps and horticultural oils.
inactive until temperatures cool in late August. The southern Natural enemies can be purchased and released for
red mite spends the winter as red eggs on the undersides the control of spider mites. Success depends on many fac-
of leaves. tors including the initial numbers of mites present, weather,
handling of natural enemies, and time of year. Introducing
MANAGING SPIDER MITES natural enemies should be part of an overall management
Spider mites can threaten the health or appearance of program that includes regular monitoring of plants for mites
your plants. Therefore, it is important to balance cultural, and released natural enemies. Often, releases must be
biological and chemical control methods all season. repeated once each week for several weeks before benefi-
cial organisms become established. (See publication E-92,
Detection Common Natural Enemies, for tips on biological control).
Inspect your plants once every two weeks for spider When the weather is wet, or the relative humidity is
mites. This means placing a sheet of paper under a branch >50%, many kinds of spider mites are attacked by a fungus.
and hitting the plant sharply. Use an index card to sample In some cases, this fungus will keep mites from becoming
bedding plants. Be sure to sample deciduous trees and a problem.
Spider Mites on Ornamentals — E-42-W
CHEMICAL CONTROL
Dormant Season Treatment
Horticultural oil at the 3-4% rate can help reduce prob-
lems caused by spider mites that spend the winter on woody
plants. Thorough coverage is essential to smother and kill
these mites. Injury to plants can be avoided by following
label guidelines when plants are dormant. Remember,
twospotted spider mites do not winter on woody plants and
cannot be controlled with dormant applications of oil.
Growing Season Treatments
For best results apply miticide where mites are feeding
on the plant. This is especially important for horticultural oil
and insecticidal soap which must cover mites to kill them.
Check the biology of the spider mite of concern to determine
if it feeds on upper or lower leaf surfaces and then direct your
spray accordingly. Inspect the plants for live mites 7-10 days
after the last spray to determine if an additional application is
needed. Change the class of pesticide you use once every
3 weeks when not using smothering agents. This can help
reduce the development of resistance to pesticides.
Please refer to the Table of Common Miticides on page
4 when selecting a growing season treatment.
Special Tips for Homeowners
The natural enemies in your home garden are
your most important weapons against spider mites. Re-
duce spider mite problems and conserve natural enemies
in the home garden by using the least toxic materials Twospotted spider mite injury on spruces
available. Before selecting one of the materials on page
4, try to reduce your mite problem by hosing down your
plants with a steady stream of water every 3 days for 9
days. If after 12 days you still find large numbers of mites
on your plants, then choose one of the materials labeled
for homeowners.
Twospotted spider mites crawling in their webs
Twospotted spider mite
Twospotted spider mites on a burning bush
Spider Mites on Ornamentals — E-42-W
Table of Common Miticides and their Effects on Pest Natural Enemies
User/site Amount in 1 Amount in 10 Pesticide class Stage killed Toxicity
gal. water gal. water to natural
enemies*
Akari (fenpyroximate) 4 1-1.5 tsp. 4-6 oz. other mobile low
stages
Avid 0.15 EC (abamectin) (not 2,3,4,5 2/3-1 1/3 tsp. 8-16 fl. oz. microbial eggs & high
for ferns or shasta daisy) immatures
Floramite (bifenazate) 2,3,4,5 - 2-4 oz. other all stages low
Hexygon (hexythiazox) 2,3,4 - 1-2 oz. other eggs & low
immatures
Horticultural Oil (Sunspray 6E 5 Tbsp. gal. oil all stages low
Plus, Rockland, and others)
Insecticidal Soap (M-Pede and 5 Tbsp. 2 gal. fatty acid mobile low
others) stages
Isotox IV (acephate+fenbutatin- 1,2,3,5 2 Tbsp. 4.7 mix mobile high
oxide) stages
Joust (oxythioquinox) 3 1/3-2/3 tsp. 4-8 fl. oz. dithiocarbonate mobile moderate
stages
Judo (spiromesefin) 3,4 - 2-4 fl. oz. other all stages high
Mavrik Aquaflow (Fluvalinate) 2,3,4,5 1/3-2/3 tsp. 5-10 fl. oz. pyrethroid mobile high
stages
Ovation (clofentazine) 3,4 - 2 fl. oz. other eggs & low
immatures
Pylon (chlorfenapyr) 4 0.3-0.5 oz. 2.6-5.2 oz. other mobile low
stages
Sanmite 75 WP (pyridaben) 2,3,4,5 - 2-4 oz. pyradizone mobile high
stages
Savey (hexythiazox) 5 - 3-6 oz. other eggs & low
immatures
Scimitar WP or Battle WP 2,3,4 - 2.4-4.8 oz. pyrethroid mobile high
(lambda-cyhalothrin) stages
Shuttle (Acequinocyl) 3,4,5 - 6.4-12.8 fl. oz. other all stages low
Talstar Lawn & Tree (bifenthrin) 2 1 tsp. 10.9-21.8 oz. pyrethroid mobile high
stages
Talstar Nursery 3,4,5 1-2 tsp. 12-20 oz. pyrethroid
Tame 2.4 EC (fenpropathrin) 4 2/3-1 1/3 tsp. 8-16 fl. oz. pyrethroid mobile high
stages
Tetrasan (Exoxasole) 3,4 - 8-12 oz. other eggs & im- low
matures
User/Site Restrictions *Toxicity to Natural Enemies
1 = homeowners/homes For a more complete chart of information on toxicity
2 = commercial/outdoor landscape of pesticides to natural enemies contact:
3 = commerical/nursery Koppert Biological Systems USA,
4 = commercial/greenhouse 2856 South Main St., ann Arbor, MI 48103
5 = Christmas tree produer PH: 313-998-5589
READ AND FOLLOW ALL LABEL INSTRUCTIONS. THIS INCLUDES DIRECTIONS FOR USE, PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENTS (HAZARDS TO HUMANS, DOMESTIC ANIMALS, AND ENDAN-
GERED SPECIES), ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS, RATES OF APPLICATION, NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS, REENTRY INTERVALS, HARVEST RESTRICTIONS, STORAGE AND DISPOSAL,
AND ANY SPECIFIC WARNINGS AND/OR PRECAUTIONS FOR SAFE HANDLING OF THE PESTICIDE.
Revised 3/2006
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