Two-spotted spider mite control is often a problem from year to year. Preventative control measures and careful consistent scouting practices are the backbone of a successful mite control program. There are several reliable active ingredients and predaceous mites on the market, but there is no "silver bullet" for mite control. Some of the biggest challenges include managing resistance among different active ingredients, ensuring proper spray coverage and selecting proper active ingredients for each life stage. If utilizing predatory mites, it may be a challenge selecting the appropriate rate and timing of release and effectively incorporating the use of beneficial mites with the use of chemistry .

Mite Management Strategy

Use the following tips to achieve successful mite control:

• Establish an effective scouting and record keeping program
• Include at least three different modes of action in rotation. Apply each product two to three times back-to-back. Follow label recommendations for application intervals.
• Avoid overuse of a single miticide.
• Ensure spray coverage reaches the top and bottom of leaves and stems. If there are problems getting control with every miticide used, there is a good chance that spray coverage is not what it needs to be.
• Use surfactants with most miticides on thick or waxy foliage according to label recommendations.
• Use systemic or translaminar products with a surfactant according to label recommendations.
• Timing depends on pressure and time of year. Under heavy pressure, apply every 7-10 days. The first spray application should target the mobile stages (adults/immatures). The second spray application should target the immature stage and eggs.

If using predatory mites

• Make releases early as preventive applications
• Use active ingredients that are compatible with predatory mites
• Use appropriate rates in relation to pest population and area to be treated
• Ensure environmental conditions are conducive to predatory mites' needs
• Scouting must continue after your predatory mite release and/or pesticide application in order to ensure that your management practices are successful

Successful Mite Scouting

Check the undersides of leaves using a hand lens to detect spider mite infestations before they reach epidemic levels and cause severe plant damage. Frequent, careful inspection of plants is necessary because by the time plant symptoms are obvious (silvery speckling/stippling of the upper leaf surface), control will be difficult and potentially expensive. Mite feeding can cause a multitude of symptoms, such as leaf cupping, discoloration, distortion, spotting, speckling and stunting, stem russeting and discoloration, as well as distorted and discolored flowers. Damage due to mites can resemble that from other causes. For example, symptoms can look similar to insect feeding, nutritional deficiencies, physiological stress, herbicide damage, etc.

Plant Protection

Avid^® 0.15 EC miticide/insecticide controls mites (two-spotted spider mite, cyclamen mites, broad mites and leafminers) and has an expanded label to include suppression of aphids, thrips and whiteflies on ornamental plants.

Avid 0.15 EC Key Features

• Rainfast within hours of application, 12-hour REI, no unsightly residue and very little odor
• Penetrates the leaf surface to form a reservoir of the active ingredient, abamectin, inside the leaf tissue so it can be easily accessed by feeding insects and mites
• Engineered for maximum leaf penetration and uptake to provide powerful control even under tough conditions

Avid 0.15 EC Key Benefits

• Offers application flexibility and next-day access to the greenhouse or nursery
• Ingestion of active ingredient stops pests from feeding on plant tissue within hours and provides long-lasting residual control
• Consistent efficacy and superior mite control
• Compatible in an integrated program with beneficial mite species

Resources

Avid 0.15 EC Information Sheet

Mite Rotations

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©2014 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. Avid^® and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company.