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Beetle mites do occasionally leave the
soil and climb walls, sometimes congregating in dense masses on the
windows of sheds and houses, but the mite that you are most likely to
see in such places is the clover mite. This is a brownish or dull red
mite, about the same size as the beetle mites but more flattened and
with much longer legs. The mites feed during the summer on grasses and
clovers, but during the autumn they seek out crevices in which to lay
their eggs and hibernate. bark crevices are normally uses, but if
trees are not available the mites will swarm up walls and enter
windows. They do no harm, but large numbers can be a nuisance. the
vacuum cleaner is probably the best way to get rid of them, and a
second treatment may be needed in the spring to remove those that did
not find a cosy nook for the winter.
Bright red, velvety mites are often
seen scurrying over garden paths and walls during the summer. these
velvet mites are somewhat larger than the clover mites and they re
predatory species, feeding on various small insects and other
arthropods. They are often called red spider mites, but this name
really belongs to several much smaller and much more damaging mites
which live on various kinds of fruit trees. These are related to the
lover mite and they get their name because they clothe the leaves on
which they are feeding with a fine silk web.
One of the most serious of these
pests is a species called Paninychus ulmi, a brick red creature which
is sometimes so numerous that affected trees and plants are completely
defoliated and killed. This mite has an interesting history in that it
was not a problem until the 1940's. Bad spraying techniques at this
time on our fruit trees, not only killed the mite, but also the
insects which had kept the mite at bay. Newer pesticides can keep the
mite in check, but it is still a serious threat to our plants and
fruit trees.
Advice for Red Spider Mite:
Use Aquablast Bug Spray or
Agrodust.
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