As a rule, the main reason for the appearance of a spider mite on indoor plants is the purchase of another flower in a flower shop. Larvae or even adults remain on plants as a result of improper plant care.

That's why! Every time you buy a new flower, you should carefully examine each leaf of the plant, as well as the soil for the presence of harmful insects. To be on the safe side, it is better to identify the purchased flowers in a separate place, to quarantine. After 2 weeks, if no signs of pest activity appear, the flowers can be identified in their permanent place.

The first signs of mite infection of plants:

• The leaves begin to turn yellow from the bottom. The affected areas lose chlorophyll, discolor and dry out.
• Since the leaves do not receive the required amount of nutrients, they curl up and fall off.
• The places where the spider mite colony has settled are covered with thin cobwebs.
• If you do not start the fight against these pests, then the plant gradually weakens and may die.

The infected plant is immediately removed from its place and quarantined.

Spider mites help:

• Vermitic.
• Fitoverm.
• Aktofit.
• Akarin.
• Kleschevite.
• Agravertine.

Interesting! After processing, it can take from 3 to 7 days before the pests die. These compounds are less toxic, and they work in a different way. Therefore, one should not expect instant destruction of pests or doubt the effectiveness of drugs.

If ticks multiply very quickly and biological products, and even more so, folk methods, do not cope with their task, then it is better to resort to the use of chemicals, the so-called acaricides. Some types of ticks have already managed to adapt to the action of chemicals, so you have to use 2 or even 3 different drugs. In any case, an effective remedy can always be found.

The use of chemicals involves the use of personal protective equipment, along with some rules. For example:

• Clothes with long sleeves, headwear and gloves are worn.
• For the treatment of indoor plants, it is permissible to use drugs of 3-4 class of toxicity. More toxic products are intended for outdoor use.
• Before spraying begins, the root zone is closed so that the chemical composition does not get on the roots. Alternatively, you can use a plastic bag.
• The processing of the plant is carried out strictly according to the instructions. If the flower is seriously affected, then more than one such treatment will be required, but possibly all four, in order to guarantee the destruction of the pest.

Such drugs have such an effect:

• Sunmight.
• Floromite.
• Flumite.
• Apollo.
• Oberon.

You can prepare the following compositions:

• Onion infusion... To do this, take a medium-sized onion and cut it into strips or cubes, then pour boiling water over them. After 4 hours, the infusion is filtered, poured into a spray bottle, and then the leaves are sprayed with this solution.
• Infusion of potato tops... Green raw materials are crushed and filled with 1 liter of boiling water. After 4 hours, the solution is ready for use.
• The use of celandine. To prepare the infusion, take 1 liter of boiling water and pour 2 tablespoons of green or dried celandine leaves into it. After 4 hours, the solution is ready for use.
• Yarrow decoction... You need to take 1 liter of boiling water and 100 grams of yarrow. Boil the solution for 3 minutes, let it brew for 4 hours and can be used, but before that it should be filtered.
• Dandelion infusion... You need to take the leaves and roots of the plant, grind them and take 3 tablespoons, after which the raw material is poured with boiling water. After 4 hours, the solution is filtered and used as directed.

Instructive! Only the upper surface of the leaves is allowed to be treated with soapy water. Respiratory pores are located on the bottom of the leaf. If these pores become covered with soap suds and then dry out, gas exchange may be disrupted and the leaves will wither.

• Every three days it is recommended to wipe the leaves of indoor flowers and other ornamental plants with a damp cloth. To do this, you need to take hot water and rinse the rag well each time.
• Do not let the soil dry out.
• Constantly remove fallen leaves from the flowerpot, which can serve as a shelter for ticks.
• Flowers are regularly fertilized and the desired temperature and humidity are maintained. If the plant is strong and healthy, then it may be too tough for even ticks.

Novice growers believe that you can get rid of ticks by submerging the plant completely in water. In fact, this is not the case. Firstly, you can harm the flower itself, and secondly, an air bubble forms around the tick. Of course, if you keep a flower in water for several hours, then the effect will be obvious, but it is unlikely that any flower can withstand it. The most effective method is rubbing the leaves with hot water, but this method will not be effective if many spider mite colonies are found on the plant.

In order not to spend a lot of effort and energy on fighting flat pests, it is better to adhere to certain rules for caring for indoor plants. If you really like flowers so much and you can't live without them, then you need to take care of them properly.

Spider mites (class Arachnids) are tiny pests that suck sap from plants. They attack the undersides of leaves and suck the sap from the plants; a large infestation of these mites can even kill the plant. As soon as you discover an infestation with these pests, get rid of them urgently! This can be done with both chemicals and natural remedies.

Steps

Spider mite detection

Look at the surface of the leaves. If the plant is indeed infested with spider mites, the leaves will have yellow spots. When light hits the leaves, you will see a silvery color or even streaks of bronze or silver.

• Although mites usually inhabit the underside of leaves, they sometimes become greedy and also eat the tops of leaves and flowers. Over time, they will make holes in the leaves, providing the clearest evidence of infection.
• Even if you cannot find holes in the leaves, the plant may still be infested with spider mites, so watch out for other signs of infestation.
• Other signs of mite damage include irregular shape, warping, wilting, mottling, streaking, or discoloration of the leaf surface. If a particularly harmful spider mite comes across, the leaves may begin to fall off.

1. Check the plant for white spider webs. This is the hallmark of some spider mites. The cobweb usually accumulates around food sites. Note that not all types of spider mites will weave webs.

   Confirm the presence of spider mites. Spider mites are so small that they are very difficult to see. However, one method can be used to confirm their presence. Take a sheet of white paper, place it under the plant if you suspect it is infected, and shake the stem of one of the leaves lightly.

   • Several spider mites will fall onto the paper. You can see them with a magnifying glass.
   • Spider mites come in a variety of colors, including red, green, yellow, and brown. They have eight legs and tend to move rather slowly.
   • Pay special attention to mites with spots on the back. This is a two-spotted spider mite that is especially difficult to get rid of.

2. Be especially vigilant with certain types of plants. There are certain plants that spider mites favor more than others.

   • In particular, look for possible infestations on miniature roses, fruit trees, bananas, potted begonias, beans, mint, broadleaf shrubs, strawberries, jasmine, and houseplants.
   • Keep in mind that the two-spotted spider mite affects over 100 different plant species.

3. Take special care in dry and dusty weather. In these conditions, spider mites can do the most damage, as they are thirsty and seek moisture in the leaves of plants. This also means that they are very attracted to everything grown behind glass, including the plants that are inside on the windowsills.

   Natural remedies

   1. Remove heavily infested plant parts immediately. Remove fallen leaves and remove severely damaged leaves from the plant itself. This will prevent ticks from attacking other plants in the vicinity. Place the leaves in a plastic bag, seal and discard or incinerate.

      • If the entire plant is infected, consider throwing it away. This will give other plants a better chance of survival.
      • Water infested plants only from the top and remove affected areas as soon as you notice them.

   2. Wash and wipe down your indoor plants regularly. This shouldn't be too much of a hassle, but it may be the most effective and non-toxic way to rid your plants of spider mites.

      • Use plain water or a solution of lukewarm (cool) water and a very mild dish soap or dish soap. You can use any kind of soap, but Castilian soap is especially effective. You can also use a special insecticidal soap.
      • Use a sponge dipped in water to scrub individual leaves of the plant, or pour water into a spray bottle and spray the underside of the leaves.
      • After six days, if the infection continues, reapply the soap solution. Be careful, as some plant species are particularly sensitive to soap, so test the soap solution on a small part of the plant before spraying on everything.

   3. Use plant acaricides. There are many commercially available acaricides (anti-ticks) that use natural ingredients that kill spider mites but leave the plant and other insects unharmed. The most popular ones are:

      Hose your outdoor plants. Attach a spray nozzle to the hose and use it to water infested outdoor plants. Spray water vigorously and try to target the underside of the leaves. This will help wash away the spider mites.

   4. Use homemade herbal tea. If you want to make your own acaricide at home, you can make herbal tea by mixing a tablespoon of ground cinnamon, a tablespoon of ground cloves, and two tablespoons of Italian seasoning (consisting of a mixture of ground basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and possibly other herbs) on litere of water.

      • Bring water to a boil, then remove from heat. Once it has cooled slightly, add 2 tablespoons of minced fresh garlic. Leave to infuse until the water has completely cooled, then strain through a cloth or coffee filter.
      • Add some liquid dish soap to your tea, then pour into a spray bottle. Spray this tea on the underside of the infected leaves every three days for two weeks. This should effectively kill the ticks.

   5. Use organic salts. Fatty acids or potassium salts can be abrasive against mite organisms. For maximum effect on mites, apply them in the evening to keep plants hydrated for as long as possible.

      • Spray the plants with water in the evenings to keep the environment cooler and more humid. It works well against the two-spotted spider mite, which prefers a warm, dry environment.

   6. Control weeds around plants. Don't give the ticks any additional cover or launching pad to attack the plants you are growing.

      • Try especially to remove all broadleaf weeds.
      • Remove any debris left over from harvest. This includes removing plant debris, dead leaves and other plant matter.

   7. Increase the number of ladybugs and other insects that prey on spider mites. Predatory insects such as lacewing larvae, predatory thrips and ladybugs can wipe out the spider mite population if left in the garden. However, one of the main reasons for the increase in the spider mite population is the use of pesticides that kill their natural enemies. Therefore, you should avoid using pesticides such as carbaryl, malathion, and imidacloprid.

      • These insects can be purchased online, at garden centers, or through advertisements in gardening magazines. Additionally, herbs such as amaranth and borage can naturally attract ladybugs to the garden.
      • Ask the seller for details on how to get the most benefit from predatory insects, noting that you will be less successful if used in mixed-cropping areas.
      • Carnivorous mites can also be used against spider mites. Look for Phytoseiulus persimilis or other predatory mite species in your garden center, then follow the directions for use.
      • Under favorable conditions, predatory mites can wipe out the spider mite population. Interestingly, ladybugs do not touch predatory ticks, focusing only on the spider mite!
   • Some spider mites can be seen with the naked eye. Others are microscopic in size, so they cannot be seen individually, although the cluster can be seen. Use a magnifying glass if you want to get a better look at the ticks!
   • Spider mites can be not only red. Gardeners often group them all together, regardless of color, according to the amount of damage done.
   • There are various families of spider mites. Relatives of eight-legged arachnids can weave silk thread around the food site, both for ease of movement and for protection. The Tetranychidae family is probably the most dangerous to plants. They pierce individual plant cells and extract liquid contents from the cells, leaving the plant cells to fill with air. The two-spotted mite is the most common spider mite that attacks gardens, greenhouses and homes.

   Warnings

   • Getting rid of spider mites can be a challenge. Be persistent and try not to accidentally create the conditions that ticks like (warm, plus shelter, plus a little moisture for most; excessive dryness for some other species).
   • Keep in mind that the use of pesticides also attacks predatory insects, which may also be able to control infestations and put everything back into natural balance. Use them with care and take precautions.
   • It is better to control ticks naturally than with pesticides. Ticks tend to develop pesticide resistance very quickly.
   • Some viruses are transmitted to plants by ticks. This is another good reason to try and get rid of them.

Have you ever had something like this: wake up in the morning and come up to admire your flowers, and all the tops of the plants drooped and covered with cobwebs? A similar picture can be seen both on indoor plants and in the garden on flowers, trees and berry fields. The name of this misfortune spider mite... It is able to penetrate everywhere and its tiny size makes it almost elusive. How fast and efficient get rid of spider mites once and for all and to prevent its occurrence?

You need to know the enemy by sight

Spider mites(or scientifically in Latin - Tetranychidae) are distributed throughout our globe. But given their vitality, it is possible that beyond its borders J. Even in the ice of Antarctica, the larvae of these insects were found. The species diversity of spider mites is simply amazing, there are more than 12 hundred different species.

This is what a spider mite looks like when enlarged.

The dimensions of this pest are so small (less than one millimeter) that it is almost impossible to see it with the naked eye. The appearance of spider mites on indoor plants can be found only when insect colonies reach impressive sizes. And also by a characteristic feature - the appearance of cobwebs near the cuttings of the leaves and at the bottom of the leaf.

And this is how the larvae of a spider mite look

Ticks feed on plant juices, located on the underside of the leaf blade, closer to the large veins. Spider mite Like forest ticks, it has a sharp proboscis, with which it pierces the leaf tissue and drinks the juice. As a result of the activity of the pest colony, the plant begins to wilt quickly, intensively lose leaves and, in the end, dies if timely measures are not taken.

And on this leaf you can see the spider mite itself, its larvae and the eggs laid by it.

The lifespan of a tick is less than two months, but the females manage to lay up to half a thousand eggs during this time, of which a new generation of ticks emerges every 2-3 days. Therefore, the pest population is growing almost at lightning speed.

A spider mite is an animal that belongs to the arthropod type, the arachnid class, the tick subclass, the acariform tick superorder, the thrombidiform tick order, the Tetranychoidea superfamily. This article describes the family of spider mites (they are also true spider mites) (Latin Tetranychidae).

The first reliable information about spider mites appeared in the 16th – 17th centuries, and their scientific description by Karl Linnaeus has been known since the 18th century. The females, larvae, and nymphs of most tetranichid species secrete cobwebs. With the help of it, they protect their offspring, protect themselves from predators, blown away by the wind, temperature fluctuations, high humidity and dust. The cobweb also helps them to settle in areas remote from the place of birth.

Spider mite - description and photo. What does a spider mite look like?

Spider mites are tiny herbivorous arthropods ranging in size from 0.2 to 1 mm. They have well developed sexual dimorphism: males are much smaller than females, and their body has a more elongated shape.

Adults have a solid structure, without segmentation. Their body is only conditionally subdivided into sections, and traces of the former dismemberment are preserved in the arrangement of the Hittites (setae). Hittites, various in shape, run in regular transverse rows: parietal, scapular, humeral, dorsal, lumbar, sacral and caudal. Spider mite bristles can be acicular, pinnate, or leaf-shaped. They perform the function of touch.

The body of spider mites is covered with a thin structured cuticle, which can be compacted: in this case, it forms scutes. The integument often forms bumps, folds, or dots. The body color of spider mites can be pale or greenish-yellow with dark spots (translucent internal organs) on the dorsal side. Species with bright scarlet pigmentation are known. Towards winter, adult females turn orange or red. Spider mite larvae have 6 legs and a yellow-green body. Nymphs and adult arachnids have 8 legs.

The thin legs of arachnids end in a complex claw, with the help of which the ticks cling to the leaves. There is a genital apparatus on the ventral side of the ticks. In females, it is represented by a concavity covered by a cuticular fold. Males have a copulatory organ located at the back of the body.

The oral apparatus is a piercing-sucking type. The mouth organs of spider mites, chelicera, are adapted for piercing the skin of plants and for absorbing juice. The main segments of the chelicera have grown together, and they contain two modified segments in the form of retractable stylets. The arachnoid gland of the mites is located on the head side inside the fused short segments of the pedipalps. Tetranichids have two pairs of simple red eyes that respond to the shortwave portion of the spectrum. They are located on the second conventional body segment from the head. The stigmas (holes) of the trachea open at the base of the chelicerae.

What do spider mites eat?

Spider mites feed on plant cell sap. Their salivary glands secrete an enzyme that destroys the chloroplasts of plant cells. Most often, animals settle on deciduous trees or grasses, but there are also lovers of coniferous flora. Some species of spider mites (polyphages) can feed on hundreds of different plants, others (oligophages) have a limited set of preferred plants, there are also monogamous (monophages) drinking the juice of only one representative of the plant flora. Cotton, soda, melons, ornamental plants of open ground, greenhouses and indoor crops are especially affected by the mass reproduction of spider mites.

Where does spider mite live in nature?

Spider mites live everywhere except Antarctica. More than 100 species of these animals have been found in Russia. The boundaries of the habitat of the tetranichid family is limited only by an average annual temperature of 4.5 ° С. During breeding outbreaks and nutritional deficiencies, ticks migrate in search of fresh plant leaves. At the same time, they accumulate at the edges of the leaves, forming wiggling balls with rapidly moving individuals. In open places in the settlement, the wind helps them.

As a rule, spider mites like dry and warm weather. When the air humidity rises, they experience depression. Arthropods are unable to remove excess water from food, as a result of which physiological starvation sets in and intensive reproduction stops.

Reproduction and development of spider mites

The fertility of ticks depends on the climate, the time of the year, on the nutritional value of the plant on which they find themselves, on the age of the females, and much more. Spider mites reproduce especially actively in dry weather at temperatures above 25 ° C. In tropical latitudes and greenhouses, their reproduction occurs continuously throughout the year. These arachnids can give up to 20 generations in 12 months. In temperate climates, the offspring of spider mites appears once a year, with favorable weather this number increases.

Fertilization in spider mites is not the same as in other acariform species: it is internal and takes place without the deposition of spermatophores (capsules filled with seminal fluid). There is also virgin development (without the participation of the reproductive cells of the male). Only males with a single (haploid) set of chromosomes emerge from unfertilized eggs.

The developmental cycle of spider mites consists of the following phases:

1. Egg

Spider mite egg is round, translucent, 1 mm in diameter. On average, females lay 7 eggs with a stalk per day to attach them to a leaf or web. In the summer in temperate climates, they place their eggs on the lower surface of the leaves, and for the winter they hide future offspring in cracks in the bark or in fallen leaves. Thus, at the egg stage, spider mites may well survive the winter.

1. Hemispherical larva

The spider mite larva is similar in lifestyle to an adult, but unlike it, it has 6 legs.

1. Protonymph

It is slightly larger than the larva, with 4 pairs of legs and a coloration characteristic of the species.

1. Deutronymph

This stage can be traced only in females. In males, the nymph stage is one.

1. Adult tick maggot-like (neoteny)

Neotenia is a phenomenon in which the achievement of maturity and the end of ontogeny occurs at early stages of development, for example, at the stage of the larva.

Spider mites become adults 10–20 days after emergence in the form of an egg. At all stages, except for the larval stage, they have 8 legs.

Spider mite lifespan

In the warm season, spider mites live from 2 to 4 weeks. The lifespan of females hibernating in diapause reaches several months.

How do spider mites winter?

With the onset of leaf fall and a decrease in daylight hours to 16 hours, many fertilized females of spider mites go into the soil and winter there, falling into diapause. Diapause is a way of experiencing an unfavorable period for ticks and insects. At this time, all vital processes slow down in animals. They hardly move, consume 5.2 times less oxygen and eat nothing. Since they spend little energy, the substances stored by them in the epithelium of the midgut are consumed very slowly. During diapause, the animal's body acquires resistance to temperature extremes, excess and lack of moisture, and to the effects of poisons.

With a daylight hours up to 14 hours, only winter females of ticks develop. In winter, they can tolerate temperatures as low as -28 degrees Celsius. Hibernating species of spider mites die at -9 ° C, while summer females die already at 0 °. In spring, when the air temperature reaches + 12 + 14 ° C, female spider mites come out, settle on the lower part of plant leaves, braid them with cobwebs and lay eggs. The first spring generations develop on weeds - nettles, swans, plantains, etc. By the middle of summer, spider mites migrate to cultivated plants and continue to develop on them.

Types of spider mites, names and photos

Below is a description of some of the species of spider mites.

• - a widespread and extremely polyphagous species. He lives on all continents except Antarctica. It feeds on hundreds of species of forage, herbaceous and woody plants. Not seen only on conifers. The common spider mite is a pest of berries, grapes, stone fruits, fruits, cereals, legumes, ornamental and indoor crops. Intensively populates crops in July-August. The size of a spider mite depends on how much food it eats. Females reach lengths from 0.4 to 0.6 mm, males - from 0.3 to 0.45 mm. On the part of the body of the tick, containing the first pair of legs, there are also 2 pairs of simple eyes.

Adult ticks are greenish-gray, dark green or yellow, with a convex upper and flat lower body surface. They inhabit the lower part of the leaf blades, covering them with a thick layer of cobwebs. Common spider mites live in colonies. Under favorable conditions, the female lays over 100 greenish-transparent spherical eggs within three weeks. Animals can leave from 8 to 18 generations per year. By the time of molting, the eggs of the spider mite become pearl. The mite larvae are transparent, light green or greenish brown with two dark spots on the sides. For three weeks, the fry travels from egg to adult, during which time new generations appear, which overlap. The colony simultaneously contains common spider mites at all stages of development: eggs, larvae, nymphs, sexually mature females and males.

In the second half of summer, under conditions of a temperate climate, fertilized females preparing for wintering appear in the colonies. They turn orange-red in color, stop feeding and go into the soil or under exfoliated bark, leaving a trail of cobwebs on the way. They hibernate, gathered in dense groups, in leaf litter and soil. In the southern regions, common spider mites reproduce constantly and do not hibernate, bringing up to 20 generations a year.

The common spider mite is especially harmful to cotton, soybeans, cucumbers, but it also gets from it to other garden, garden and melon crops. He loves apple trees, currants, strawberries, gooseberries and all stone fruits. Crimson-red spots form on the leaves of cotton, they are abundantly covered with cobwebs, and over time, the leaves completely change color and fall off. The buds of the plant also fall off, which significantly reduces the cotton yield. Such a picture in Central Asia is called "Kanasy", "Urgamchak", and in Transcaucasia it is called "Chor".

• Atlantic spider mite (lat. Tetranychus atlanticus) in structure it is close to ordinary and lives in Russia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Yugoslavia, USA, Japan. Damages cotton, clover, alfalfa, strawberry, apple, pear. Its adults are distinguished by a yellow-green body color. The pest settles on shoots, fruits, branches, on the upper and lower parts of the leaf of palm trees, citrus fruits. Atlantic spider mites are tolerant of high humidity and can reproduce and develop in such conditions. Their length varies from 0.3 to 0.45 mm.
• likes to live on many houseplants. It is a frequent visitor to calla lilies, balsams, lemons, cineraria, roses, nightshades and orchids. Purple-scarlet females are larger than red males, their length reaches 0.5 mm. The size of the males is 0.3 mm. Animals do not tolerate moisture and prefer warmth.

The laid eggs of red spider mites are reddish, shiny, attached to a leaf or cobweb. As they develop, they become cloudy, red dots - the eyes of the embryo - begin to be seen through the translucent membranes. Before molting, the eggs become opal. Six-legged larvae hatch from them. First, they feed, and then freeze in the form of a chrysalis, from which nymph I, the protonymph, hatches. It also feeds and then freezes in the form of nymphochrysalis I. During molting, nymph II, deuteronymph, emerges from it. After a feeding period, it passes into nymphochrysalis II, from which an adult female or male subsequently emerges.

• - an ordinary inhabitant of Germany and Austria. It is also found in other countries of Europe and the Middle East. Found in Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia (Primorsky Territory), Moldova, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Bulgaria, Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Japan, China, Korea, Ukraine, etc.

The hawthorn mite lives on Rosaceae: plum, cherry plum, hawthorn, mountain ash, apricot, irga, apple, etc. The leaves of fruit trees are first covered with yellow-gray spots, and then fall off. Fruits on damaged shoots grow smaller than usual. Crop losses can be as high as 40%, especially in dry years.

Females of this mite species are dark red in color with white legs and a white gnatosoma, their length is 0.5–0.6 mm. The lifespan of females is about 3 weeks, during which animals lay up to 100 eggs on the surface of the leaves, covering them with cobwebs. They hibernate under the bark of trees.

• Date spider mite (lat.Oligonychus afrasiaticus) prefers heat and dryness, therefore it lives in the tropical regions of our planet: in North Africa, Iran and Saudi Arabia. It feeds on the juice of melons, eggplants, date palms, and various cereals. From May to September, he lives on palms, melons and vegetable crops, because during this period their fruits are very juicy. The rest of the time, the palm mite reproduces and feeds on cereals (Bermuda grass, sugar cane, sorghum).

The pale green females reach a length of 0.3 mm. Under favorable conditions, animals give up to 10-12 generations per year. In summer, females live for 2-3 weeks, in winter - for several months.

• Turkestan spider mite (lat.Tetranychus turkestani) - a wide polyphage, damages a variety of plants, both open and closed ground. The typical habitat of this spider mite is Uzbekistan. But the pest was found in 25 other countries on 207 species of forage plants. Turkestan spider mites are found in Japan, North America, Europe, the Caucasus, the Middle East, Central Asia, and Russia. Most often, he settles on such plants as: abutilon (rope) Theophrastus, common cuff, acacia, cotton, sunflower, alfalfa, common burdock, field bindweed, quinoa, melon, cucumber, watermelon, nutmeg pumpkin, common dope, quince, common hops, white willow, reed, plum, nightshade, clover, eggplant, corn, grapes, elm.

The ovoid body of the mite, convex above and below, is 0.3–0.6 mm long, colorless and covered with a soft cuticle. A greenish coloration appears in the Turkestan spider mite because it eats the cell sap of plants with chlorophyll. The spots on his body are the remnants of the digested food visible through the integument.

Overwintering females are red. They spend the cold period of the year under fallen leaves, maintaining a temperature of -25 ° C, but dying at -29 ° C. In summer, females of Turkestan spider mites live on average 30 days, maximum up to 80 days. They lay 3-20 eggs a day, and in total they get at least 400. From fertilized eggs, both males and females appear, from parthenogenetic eggs - only males.

In the photo: A. Egg, B. Larva, C. Protonymph, D. Deutronymph, E. Adult female, F. Adult male. Photo by: Systematic & Applied Acarology Society, all rights reserved. www.bioone.org

• - a cosmopolitan who lives everywhere. Attacks more than 200 economically important plants for humans, including various cereals, onions, garlic, asparagus, strawberries, cucumbers, spices, clover and other legumes. The pest also settles on indoor plants. Ticks feed only on leaves, which are covered with yellow spots and fall off prematurely. Mass breeding of these arachnids is possible in dry and hot weather. Polyphagous petrobias are carriers of barley tobacco mosaic virus. The virus also infects wheat.

The tick has a red-brown or black body 0.5 mm long with yellow paws, the front of which are much longer than the rest. During the growing season, he brings up up to 3 generations of juveniles. In autumn, the female lays eggs on the ground, which will hibernate.

• is mainly found in elms in Germany. More than 144 forage plants are affected. Lives in Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Belarus, Moldova, Latvia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Transcaucasia, Finland, Sweden, Japan, South Africa, New Zealand, North America, Australia, on the island of Tasmania.

It settles mainly on deciduous trees of the Rosaceae family, and also infects grapes, alder, elm, mulberry, oak, linden. It is most abundant on apple trees in early summer. In summer, ticks have a green body; by autumn, females turn red.

The predatory mite (left) attacks the red fruit mite (right). Photo by: CSIRO, CC BY 3.0

Eggs of a red fruit mite on an apple tree. Photo by: University of Georgia Plant Pathology Archive, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org; CC BY 3.0

What garden plants are affected by spider mites?

• The common spider mite (Latin Tetranychus urticae) loves berries, grapes, stone fruits, fruits, cereals, legumes, decorative street and indoor crops.
• The Atlantic spider mite (Latin Tetranychus atlanticus) damages cotton, clover, alfalfa, strawberries, apple trees, and pears.
• Red spider mite (Latin Tetranychus cinnabarinus) is a frequent visitor to balsam, lemons, nightshades, calla lilies, roses, cineraria and orchids.
• The hawthorn mite (Latin Tetranychus viennensis) is found on Rosaceae: plum, cherry plum, hawthorn, apricot, mountain ash, irge, apple.
• The date spider mite (Latin Oligonychus afrasiaticus) feeds on the juice of a melon, eggplant, date palm, and various cereals.
• Turkestan spider mite (lat.Tetranychus turkestani) often settles on the abutilon (cable car) of Theophrastus, common cuff, acacia, cotton, sunflower, alfalfa, common burdock, field bindweed, swan, melon, cucumber, watermelon, pumpkin quince, ordinary hop, white willow, reeds, plum, nightshade, clover, eggplant, corn, grapes, elm.
• Polyphagous petrobia (lat. Petrobia latens) affects more than 200 economically important plants for humans, including various cereals, onions, garlic, asparagus, strawberries, cucumbers, spices, clover and other legumes.
• The red fruit mite (Latin Panonychus ulmi) is mainly found on deciduous trees of the Rosaceae family, and also attacks grapes, alder, elm, mulberry, oak, linden.
• The citrus red mite (Panonychus citri) prefers tangerines, lemons, oranges and other citrus crops.

Sign: The photo shows what a spider mite looks like on indoor and garden plants: cucumbers (1), rose (2), cactus (3), lemon (4). Photo 3 taken from the site: www.cactusnursery.co.uk. Photo by 4: Paramecium, CC BY-SA 3.0.

What kind of indoor plants are affected by spider mites?

• balsam;
• fuchsia;
• calla;
• ficus;
• ivy;
• azalea;
• anthurium;
• dracaena.

What plants does spider mite dislike?

Spider mite symptoms on plants

The spider mite harms the plant by piercing the cells of the parenchymal photosynthetic tissue and damaging the chloroplasts. The response to such an invasion in plants may be slightly different. Signs of spider mite infestation are as follows:

Where does spider mite come from on plants?

The female spider mite and the eggs laid by her hibernate in the soil and under the bark of trees. In the spring, they colonize nearby suitable weeds, and later also cultivated plants.

A spider mite is an animal, which means that it has the ability to actively move. Even if he leads a sedentary lifestyle, sooner or later food ends up in his old place, and he starts looking for a new place of residence. Spider mites travel on their webs with the help of the wind, slowly crawling over small distances.

How does a spider mite appear in an apartment? On indoor and greenhouse plants, we introduce the pest with new seedlings, soil, and things. Spider mites can enter the apartment on their own: through the open sashes of the windows, descending from the upper floors or nearby trees.

Spider mite prevention

If you follow some precautions, the pest can be prevented. And yet, houseplants are much easier to protect from tick attack, it is more difficult to do it outdoors.

When buying new types of plants, they need to be kept separately (in quarantine) for some time, making sure they are safe.

Window sills, tables, shelves and pots that touch or are in close proximity to indoor plants should be wiped with alcohol or other disinfectant.

The soil mixture for planting crops must be disinfected. It can be spilled with boiling water several times, ignited in the oven, steamed on the stove or in a water bath.

It is necessary to maintain high humidity in the room. To accomplish this task, you can purchase an aerator or constantly spray the plants from a spray bottle.

In the garden and gardens, you need to remove all weeds, dig up the soil in the fall, removing crop residues, and observe other agricultural rules.

In the greenhouse, you need to establish a climatic regime in which pests do not live: humidity 80-90%, temperature up to 25 degrees.

As a preventive measure, plants can be treated with acaricidal preparations, and also flowers can be planted nearby, on which spider mites never settle.

Is spider mite dangerous for humans?

This arachnid brings only indirect harm to humans. It does not bite him, does not infect him with diseases, but destroys the plants he has planted. At the same time, crop failures can reach catastrophic proportions. Spider mites promote the dispersal of gray mold spores, viruses that infect flora, thereby causing additional damage to the crop.

How to deal with spider mites on indoor and garden plants?

You can get rid of a spider mite in different ways. Below are the effective options for eliminating this pest.

Mechanical destruction of spider mites

If one plant is affected, you need to isolate it from others or remove only the damaged organs. At the initial stage of infection, spider mites can be manually removed from the leaves or washed off with soapy water. Ticks do not like excess water, which means that water procedures and an increase in the humidity level to 80-90% will help get rid of them. To do this, the plant must be dipped in warm water or sprayed well from a spray bottle, not forgetting about the underside of the leaves, and placed in a transparent plastic bag for 2-3 days, securing it over a pot with earth.

Biological remedies for spider mites

• Using natural enemies that spider mites fear

In addition to phytoseiulus of spider mites, they destroy Amblyseius (Latin Amblyseius), Western Metaseiulus (Latin Metaseiulus occidentalis), ladybugs (Latin Coccinellidae), etc.

• Biological preparations

Today, the most popular are active preparations for combating spider mites, produced using strains and spores of the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis. They are safe for humans, plants, warm-blooded animals, birds and beneficial insects. Domestic preparations based on this soil bacteria are called Entobacterin, Dendrobacillin, Biotlin, Fitoverm, Bitoxibacillin. Foreign analogues - Trichodermin, Bicol and others. By the way, these funds also help in the fight against various caterpillars that eat plant leaves.

Folk remedies for combating spider mites

Fruiting plants should not be treated with chemicals. If during this period they are pestered by a spider mite, you can use effective folk remedies that are easy to make at home:

1. 2-4% solution of laundry or green soap.
2. infusion of some plants - garlic, red pepper, onion, horseradish, chamomile, gray alder, dandelion, black henbane, tobacco, horse sorrel, cyclamen, orange peel, potato tops and others.

Below are some recipes:

• Recipe for herbal infusion of garlic or onions

Pour half a teaspoon of chopped garlic or a full spoonful of finely chopped onion with a glass of boiling water, cover and stand for a day. To remove spider mites from indoor flowers, spray or wash the plant several times with this infusion.

• Infusion of bitter pepper

Cut 100 grams of pepper pods and boil in 1 liter of water for an hour. Close and hold for a day. Filter and cork in bottles with tightly ground stoppers. To treat indoor or garden plants from spider mites, mix 8 grams of broth, a liter of water and 4 g of grated laundry soap. This mixture is sprayed or washed on the affected plants.

• Tobacco broth

200 grams of tobacco or makhorka is poured with 5 liters of cold water and kept for a day. Then boil for 2 hours and filter. The infusion is diluted with water in a 1: 1 ratio and 50 g of laundry soap is added to it per 5 liters of liquid. This solution should be used to treat indoor plants from spider mites.

• Infusion of potato tops

For 4 hours, insist 250 g of tops in 1 liter of water. A plant infected with a spider mite must be sprayed with this broth.

For the most part, decoctions are similar in composition to chemicals and are not harmless to human health. During their use, you need to take all precautions to avoid poisoning and allergies.

Spider mite chemicals

You can use a group of chemicals called acaricides to rid your garden of spider mites, although other classes of pesticides also have a wide spectrum of action and will help heal plants.

Here are some examples of some well-known means.

• Nitrafen- a preparation with the smell of carbolic acid. It contains alkyl phenols produced from resins. Helps to remove spider mites and their eggs. Also destroys aphids, ticks, scale insects, scale insects, leaf rollers, etc. Currently, the tool is rarely used, since it can persist in the soil for a long time.
• Karbofos (Malathion)- a thick light brown liquid with a pungent odor, readily soluble in water. Refers to insect-acaricidal pesticides. Kills larvae and adult spider mites. To get rid of eggs, you need to make several treatments in a row. The drug also treats plants for aphids, copperheads, weevils, garden moths, whiteflies, etc. At the moment, the drug has been superseded by more effective and safe pyrethroids, neonicotinoids and diazinon. Karbofos is toxic to bees, bumblebees, wasps and other beneficial pollinating insects.
• Akartan- reliable against all stages of spider mites. It contains 2 active substances - caratan and celtan.
• Antio- organophosphorus preparation. Protects plants for 12-15 days.
• Apollo- acaricide that kills eggs and larvae. Safe for people and insects.
• Benzophosphate- a substance of contact action. It is used to combat spider mites in horticultural and horticultural crops. Protects plants from pests for up to a month.
• Tedion- a specific acaricide effective against tick larvae.

Agrotechnical measures to combat spider mites

• Deep plowing

To destroy the wintering stages of the spider mite, deep plowing of the fields is carried out. In the gardens, they dig up the ground next to the fruit bushes, in the beds, near the berry bushes. This technique promotes the activation of predatory insects - rove beetles, ground beetles and others, capable of climbing into the soil and destroying their victims (ticks, including) there. The positive effect of plowing on limiting harmful species is also that spider mites located in the surface layer of the soil will die from low temperatures (-29 ° C) in winter.

• Soil disinfection

To get rid of spider mites in greenhouses and hotbeds, in the spring they disinfect the soil with bleach or sulfur sticks.

• Distance between beds

If last year there were cases of infection of plants in the open field, then it is advisable to leave a considerable distance between the beds: it is more convenient to deal with spider mites in one place, preventing the spread of the pest.

• Crop rotation

• Planting resistant varieties

Currently, all crops have varieties and hybrids that are tolerant or resistant to certain types of pests.

• Weeding

In the cultivated open ground, you need to remove all weeds so that in early spring, the females of spider mites have nowhere to reproduce.

• Intelligent fertilization

On soils where nitrogen predominates over potassium and phosphorus, the number of spider mites increases by 3 times. Conversely, if phosphorus-potassium fertilizers prevail, then the rate of reproduction of pests is limited.

How to get rid of spider mites by physical methods

Physical methods of dealing with spider mites are based on the destructive effects of high or low temperatures on the pest: in the fall, the soil in the greenhouse is covered with a film, hoses are brought under it and hot steam is released. Also, plants are treated with ultraviolet lamps: radiation has a detrimental effect on the spider mite and helps to remove it.

• From the eggs of most species of mites, including spider mites, a larva emerges with six legs, but soon it turns into an eight-legged nymph. An adult arachnid also has 8 legs.
• Unlike the true spider mite, the false spider mite (Latin Tenuipalpidae) does not weave webs. Its dimensions are 0.25-0.3 mm, so it is difficult to see it with the naked eye. If his colony has become noticeable, then the defeat has reached catastrophic proportions.
• Scientists have discovered species of tetranychoid ticks (from the superfamily Tetranychoidea), among which no males have been found. They have only females and by parthenogenesis, female individuals are born. This means that the assumption that only males appear from unfertilized eggs is incorrect.
• Usually male spider mites freeze in anticipation of female hatching and immediately start copulating with them. Sometimes, when a new male representative appears, the males fight among themselves. At the same time, they take an aggressive posture: the front limbs are raised high up and the stilettoes of the oral apparatus are extended. They jump at the enemy, trying to prick him with stilettos or bristles of the front legs, at the ends of which drops of liquid are released.

It is quite difficult to remove spider mites. After all, it is not always possible to notice a small, 0.2 to 1 mm in size, brown or greenish-gray insect with the naked eye, not to mention its eggs. But the size of the damage caused by the pest is quite impressive, since the spider mite feeds on the cell sap of plants. An enzyme secreted from the salivary gland destroys the chloroplasts of plant cells. Why the leaves begin to turn yellow, dry out and eventually fall off. As a result, the plants stagnate and sometimes even die.

On a note!

During her short life, and the red spider mite lives for about 45 days, the female lays more than one hundred eggs. Of which, after a maximum of 5 days, young individuals are born. This fact should be taken into account, coinciding with the period of persecution of pests.

How to get rid of the Putin tick

The fight against spider mites involves the use of chemicals and folk remedies. However, before using them, it is necessary to carry out preparatory measures.

Such control measures should be carried out in relation to all plants in the house, and even to those on which symptoms of infection are not found. After all, partial destruction of pests will not give a full-fledged result.

Hibernating spider mites are disposed of by fumigation, metal structures are burned with a blowtorch.

Spider mite chemicals

Fitoverm

How to use:

1. To prepare a working solution, mix the contents of the ampoule (2 ml) with water (1 l).
2. The resulting composition is used for spraying plants indoors and outdoors.

The death of spider mites occurs within 6-8 hours from the moment of processing. The residual effect of the product lasts up to 3 weeks.

Actellik

The disadvantages of the tool include the development of acquired group resistance to the composition, which is developed with systematic use. The working solution is prepared at the rate of 2 ml of poison per 2 liters of water, which is quite enough to treat an area of ​​10 square meters. m. The protective effect of the composition lasts up to 12 days from the date of processing. A 2 ml ampoule costs about 35 rubles.

Karbofos

Another insectoacaricidal agent designed to combat spider mites, moths, and garden and berry and vegetable crops. The active component is malathion, the amount of which is 50% of the total volume. Due to the high concentration of the toxin, the chemical has a quick effect on garden pests.

On a note!

Spraying with Karbofos in the garden is carried out in sunny, calm weather and preferably in the morning or evening. The dosage is determined using the instructions, taking into account the area of ​​treatment, the type of plant and the degree of its damage:

• for berry bushes, the solution is prepared at the rate of 75 g of poison per bucket of water;
• for flower and ornamental shrubs, 60 g of the product per 8 liters of water, the same proportions are used to combat spider mites on trees (cherry, sweet cherry, plum);
• for processing peaches, apricots and nectarines, 10 liters of solution are needed;
• citrus is processed at the rate of 5 liters per tree, and the last processing should be carried out no later than 50 days before harvest.

The period of the protective action of Karbofos is 10-15 days, the rate of action of the drug is 3-4 hours. The price of a bottle of 30 g is around 30-40 rubles.

I give preference to old time-tested drugs, so I have been using it for more than one season. Recommend.

Nikita, Kislovodsk

When spraying with insecticidal acaricidal solutions, it is necessary to use personal protective equipment and observe basic safety measures.

A good effect in the fight against spider mites is also given by drugs of the following brands: Apollo, Karate, Neoron, Sunmayt, Fufanon, Talstar and others.

Recipes from the people

Despite the effectiveness of chemicals, many gardeners and summer residents prefer to use folk remedies for spider mites, the main advantages of which are safety and availability.

Decoctions and infusions

Herbal decoctions and infusions are widely used in pest control.

An effective effect in the fight against spider mites is provided by a soap solution (20 g of soap per 1 liter of water). It is better to use regular laundry soap or green soap to prepare the solution. It is necessary to wash the leaves on both sides with a cloth soaked in soapy water, not allowing the composition to get on the roots of the plant.

For spraying flowers and garden plants, you can also use sulfuric tar soap (100 g of soap per 10 liters of water). The procedure is carried out 2-3 times a week.

I think that poisoning for cultivating garden crops is not the best option. I use soap and garlic solution periodically. In the early stages of plant infection, nothing better is needed.

Vladislav, Saint Petersburg

Hydrogen peroxide and potassium permanganate

To combat spider mites at home, use a solution of hydrogen peroxide, which is prepared at the rate of 2 tbsp. l. (3%) means for 1 liter of water. Spraying is carried out once a week for a month, which allows over time to destroy the entire harmful family. A weak solution of potassium permanganate is used for soil cultivation.

Ammonia

Ammonia has similar properties. The solution is prepared in a ratio of 1 tbsp. l. for 10 liters of water. The resulting composition is used to treat the leaves on both sides, which will allow not only to remove ticks, but also to saturate the plant with nitrogen.

Alina, Smolensk

To prevent the spread of pests on indoor flowers or seedlings, their regular inspection and compliance with the rules for caring for them will help: regular watering, timely weeding and feeding of plants, as well as the use of folk remedies for prevention.