The table grape red spider mite is small with an oval, globose body. The front part of the body and legs are red-orange while the back is dark red. Eggs are spherical, orange-red to dark red in color with a white dorsal pedicel (hair). They prefer the base of buds or cracks and spend the winter in the egg stage. Subsequently, at the beginning of spring hatching begins, causing the population to infect shoots and leaves. Each generation takes 18 to 24 days to develop.
Damage
Retarded plant growth
Oligonychus vitis is very active throughout the summer and their intense feeding produces a browning on the upper side of the older leaves, which normally occurs from mid-summer onwards. Although the individual lesions are very small (commensurate with the small size of the mites) the frequently-observed attack of hundreds or thousands of table-grape red mites may cause thousands of lesions and thus significantly reduce the photosynthetic capability of trees and plants, greatly reducing their production of nutrients, sometimes resulting in plant death.
Natural Enemies
There are specific natural enemies for different species of mites.
For more information contact your local BioBee field agent.