Gall Mites: Identifying, Damage, and Control in the Home Garden - FineGardening
Gall Mites: Identifying, Damage, and Control in the Home Garden - FineGardening
Abstract
If you've ever battled rose rosette disease or encountered odd leaf deformities, you should care about eriophyid mites, also sometimes known as gall mites. What are eriophyid mites? Eriophyid mites are microscopic creatures ranging from about 0.1 to 0.3 mm. What types of eriophyid mites are there? Vagrants Species that wander freely over plant surfaces are referred to as "Vagrants." Vagrant species that can be notable plant pests include the rust mites and russet mites, named for the symptoms they produce when present in large numbers. Hemlock rust mites, taxodium rust mites, and tomato russet mites are other common vagrants who cause plant symptoms. Helpful mites Aculops rhois The poison ivy gall mite feeds on poison oak and poison ivy. Resources to Help ID Mites Since most eriophyid mites are host-specific, the trick to identifying them is to start searching with the host plant identity and symptom description. Learn more: Rose Rosette Disease Beneficial Insects in the Garden Control Spider Mites With Beneficial Mites Matthew Borden, DPM, is a plant health consultant specializing in diagnostics and integrated management of landscape plant pests and diseases.