TWOSPOTTED SPIDER MITE

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Title: TWOSPOTTED SPIDER MITE
Description: LATIN NAME: Tetranychus urticae (Koch) LIFE CYCLE: Overwinter as adult females under host. They migrate into the trees in spring or summer. Several generations per year depending on the temperature. MONITORING: Collect spur leaves and shoots biweekly from the end of May to harvest to determine mite numbers using mite sampling and leaf brushing techniques. HOSTS: Pear, stone fruits, occasionally apple. COMMENTS: Adults resemble McDaniel spider mites but lack the black spots near the hind end. Eggs are round and clear like those of McDaniel spider mites. Predaceous mite eggs are larger and ovoid. Damage appears first on inside leaves, then gradually spreads throughout the tree as numbers increase. Damaged pear leaves turn black at high temperatures; leaves of stone fruits will bronze and dry up. BODY LENGTH: Adult - 0.4 mm; Mature nymph - 0.35 mm.