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IPM Scouting in Herbaceous Perennials

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Twospotted spider mite
IPM scouting in herbaceous perennials > twospotted spider mite
Twospotted spider mite has piercing-sucking mouthparts and is usually found feeding on leaf undersides. Leaves heavily infested with twospotted spider mites may appear yellow to bronze, turn brown, dry up and fall off. Webbing may be present on leaf undersides and plant stems when populations are large. This spider mite prefers hot, dry conditions.

Management: A hard water spray directed at leaf undersides will quickly remove two-spotted spider mites from plants and minimally affect any beneficial insects and mites. Avoid overfertilizing and overwatering plants. Remove weeds from adjacent areas – weeds serve as overwintering sites for twospotted spider mite. Contact miticides and those with translaminar properties may be effective in controlling twospotted spider mites.
Twospotted spider mite adult Twospotted spider mite damage
Twospotted spider mites are 2 mm long, oval-shaped, and green, yellow or reddish orange. Adults have two dark spots on both sides of the body. Twospotted spider mite damage appears as small, white to yellow specks on plant leaves. This damage is often referred to as stippling.
This information was developed from A Pocket Guide for IPM Scouting in Herbaceous Perennials by Jan Byrne and Raymond A. Cloyd. Purchase this in a pocket-sized guide for reference in the orchard from MSU Extension (publication E-2981).
The MSU IPM Program maintains this site as an access point to pest management information at MSU. The IPM Program is administered within the Department of Entomology, fueled by research from the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, delivered to citizens through MSU Extension, and proud to be a part of Project GREEEN.
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Updated 8/07/07