Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Landscape - Cool Season Mites

Cool season mites are a common pest of evergreen species. The following is an article on the subject.

Cool Season Mites: Plan a dormant oil application on plants affected by these pests this fall. Oil sprays will kill the presently active adults as well as some of the overwintering eggs. Be sure to monitor for mites next season, since where it was a problem in the past it will most likely be a problem again, and the dormant oil application will probably not give 100% control.

Remember: Adult spruce mites (which attack conifers) will remain active into December and the overwintering eggs will typically hatch in April of next year. The two-spotted mites are warm season mites that overwinter as adults under the plant and will not become active again until the weather warms in late May. Dormant oil applications are not effective against the two-spotted mites.

Article by Steven K. Rettke, Ornamental IPM Program Associate, Rutgers Cooperative Extension (NJ), in the November 2, 2006 edition of the Landscape, Nursery, and Turf Edition of the Plant and Pest Advisory.

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