Fruit Bites for July 19-20 ... Mites
BL: Welcome back to another “Fruit Bites” brought to you by Valent U.S.A. With us again is Valent’s Allison Walston. And this week Allison, we are talking about mites.AW: As we approach our dry season and temperatures start to get warmer, it is important to think about mites. Specifically spider mites, two-spot, McDaniel and European red mites.
BL: spider mites spin webs on the leaves?
AW: yes, similar to actual spiders. And in hot & dusty conditions, like along roadsides, mites can flare quickly. They move up the trunk and start to bronze the leaves in apples & cherries or burn the leaves in pears. Pears are way more sensitive to mite feeding and will defoliate.
BL: once you have mites are they easy to control?
AW: no, you want to start early to keep populations low. Use products like Zeal to target building populations. Zeal is primarily an ovicide/larvicide meaning it targets the eggs and younger mites by impacting their growth and development.
BL: Well, thanks Allison. Join us again next time for Fruit Bites, brought to you by Valent. Until then, I’m Bob Larson.