Tiny creatures can be extremely damaging to your trees and plants. Eriophyid mites are some of the most problematic creatures and you won’t even see them easily with the naked eye. It can take time to realize that you even have an infestation!
The mites have two pairs of legs, making them stand out from all other mites that have four pairs of legs. They are shaped like wedges, with their front end larger than the rear. On their rears they have suckers that help them connect to the plants to be able to feed with their mouths.
These mites will stab the leaves of trees, drawing out the fluids from the plant to take in to sustain themselves. You’ll usually notice the symptoms of the mites before the actual creatures themselves. The leaves are left with blisters, galls, witches’ brooms, and bronzing due to the damage.
Over time you can find the leaves and branch growths are stunted. Some plant hairs known as erineum can also appear on the leaves.
Multiple Generations Yearly
It can be hard to control the mites. They generate extremely quickly. Females will lay 100+ eggs within their lifespan and these eggs only take two weeks to hatch. Then the mites develop into adults within a month and go onto lay their own eggs. There are multiple generations on a yearly basis, unlike many other creatures that infect trees.
You’ll only notice the damage after the colonies established. Most people will believe they have other infections, as the symptoms mimic many other conditions. It takes a microscope to determine if they’re mites.
One of the best things to do is get rid of the plants or parts of the plants that show symptoms of the colonies. You can use a dormant oil over the winter on the buds and barks to help slow down the growth of the infestation. Pesticides haven’t shown perfect effects because the mites are still being studied
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