Twospotted spider mite

Twospotted spider mite
Rufus Isaacs, MSU Entomology

This mite can cause severe damage to wine grapes if populations reach high densities. The mite’s feeding removes leaf tissue, causing yellowing and then bronzing. Thin-leaved varieties are most susceptible. These mites overwinter in leaf litter, develop on weeds in spring and move onto the vine as ground cover dries in summer. Water-stressed vines are most at risk. The most effective method of con-trol is to protect predatory mites. Biological control is achieved with one predatory mite per 10 twospotted mites.


Bronzing on the upper side of the leaf is a symptom of mites feeding below.		Twospotted spider mites can be seen with a 20X hand lens.

Additional inform

Recommendations from the Michigan Fruit Management Guide

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Funding for this web site provided by Project GREEEN, American Farmland Trust, EPA Region 5's Strategic Agricultural Initiative program, The National Foundation for IPM Education, the Center for Agricultural Partnerships and the MSU Integrated Pest Management Program
in collaboration with MSU Extension and the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station.
Updated 12/03/07 Contact: J.N. Landis.