Tomato Russet Mite
Aculops lycopersici
- Adult: very tiny (barely visible with a 10x lens), yellow, wedge-shaped mites with only 2 pairs of legs. EGG: round, clear, almost the same width as adult.
- Nymph: two stages similar in appearance to adult but somewhat smaller.
- Generation Time: rapid, 8 days in summer, 15 or so in cool weather.
- Damage: affected leaves and stems first appear greasy, then turn bronze and may desiccate in hot, dry weather. Lower leaves are first affected. Rarely a pest in Florida except in protected culture.
Tomato Russet Mite Pictures
Image #31.
Tomato russet mite -
yellowish or tan mites are half the size of spider mites and wedge-shaped with four legs at the large
Image #32.
Tomato russet mite damage -
piercing-sucking feeding of mites causes leaves to appear greasy, turn bronze, curl, desiccate and drop off. Damage spreads from the bottom of the plant upwards.
