Spider mites
PestTiny relatives of spiders; feeding causes stippling (fine pale dots) and, in bad outbreaks, fine webbing.
Often on
Often hot, dry conditions — beans, cucurbits, tomatoes, many ornamentals.
Symptom tags
Signs in the garden
- Upper leaf surfaces look sandblasted or bronzed before obvious webbing.
- Webbing along leaf midribs or between leaves in dry weather.
- Damage often starts low or on stressed plants.
What often helps (general)
- Increase humidity briefly with morning rinsing on sturdy leaves (avoid late wetting that favors disease).
- Remove badly infested leaves and avoid dust buildup on leaves near paths.
- Predatory mites exist commercially for greenhouse/high-value settings.
When to escalate
If defoliation is rapid or plants are young transplants, get local ID help — mites are easy to confuse with nutrient issues at a glance.