Spider mite damage on older avocado leaves?

General Fruit Growing
#1

I think this is spider mite damage on a few older lower leaves of ghouse avocados.
IMG_0552
Under microscope’s 40X power, I can see clear bodies on underside of leaf …although not the actual insects.
Just sprayed with Stylet horticultural oil ( 1.5TBS/gal) on top and bottom of leaves.

I think my diagnosis is right since spider mites are the bane of ghouse growing. Anyone have a different diagnosis or treatment? Only older leaves affected. New reddish leaves look good.

1 Like
#2

I believe sometimes on the older leaves shortly before dropping the cells on the leaf undersides bunch up in ways that look like almost like little bumpy bugs. At least that’s what I decided after seeing similar color patterns and wondering if it was mites, but I never saw clear mite bodies, so if you saw mites then that’s probably what it is!

1 Like
#3

Thanks! Hard to see any legs on these clear bumps but will treat it as such. So far just Brogden affected.

#4

Unless the temperature is near freezing, mites are highly mobile and move quickly. 40X magnification would surely reveal any legs unless the mite is dead and the legs are curled up.

#5

Thank for the size relative to 40x . Temp is 60-90F. Now that I’ve sprayed oil, will have look for 6 curled up legs.

#6

eight legs

#7

Yes it must be a spider!