Watch for Spider Mites on Greenhouse Strawberries

One of the key pests to watch for in greenhouse strawberry production is spider mites, in particular two-spotted spider mites, which can lead to severe bronzing and stippling on leaves that appear to be wrapped in webs.

while the namesake webbing is a clear and distinct indicator of spider mite infestation, it is usually too late to effectively control the pest population by the time that these webs have been constructed. Even in populations as small as one mite per leaflet, spider mites can contribute to noticeable yield loss; once populations grow to exceed 15 to 20 mites per leaflet, growers will see substantial yield losses. These yield losses can generally be attributed to the reduced photosynthetic capacity of infested plants, as spider mites remove chlorophyll from plant cells as they feed. Growers facing a spider mite infestation may see yield losses such as stunted plants, deformed flowers, delayed flowering and fruit development, and reduced fruit size and quality.