Strawberry mite
Phytonemus pallidus fragariae
Appearance
The whitish-yellow soft-skin mites are barely visible to the naked eye and are 0.2-0.3 mm long. In females, the last of the four pairs of legs is thread-like, in males pincer-like.
An exact species determination based on morphological characteristics, which can only be performed with the microscope, is difficult and currently under discussion.
Foto: Jack Kelly Clark, courtesy University of California Statewide IPM Program
Biology
The adult females overwinter well hidden in the folded leaves or at the base of the petioles. They leave the winter quarters in April, seek out the inner leaves and lay eggs there in large numbers. After only a few days, the six-legged larvae hatch, and in ten to 14 days they develop into adult mites. Five to seven generations emerge per year, which overlap.
Damage symptoms
Damage picture of strawberries
Plants infested with strawberry mites grow compressed. The heart leaves curl strongly, turn brown and dry up. The runner formation and yield are greatly reduced.
Foto: Jack Kelly Clark, courtesy University of California Statewide IPM Program
Prevention and control
- Check young plants and purchased plants for symptoms of infestation.
- New plants should only be planted with mite-free seedlings
- For chemical control, pre-bloom or post-harvest treatments (see list of plant protection products approved in Austria) can be applied to strawberries. In this case, the plants should be well wetted, especially on the heart leaves.
- For biological control of the strawberry mite on various plants, predatory mites can be used (seelist of plant protection products approved in Austria)
Last updated: 25.09.2023
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