BYGL Bug Bytes April 24, 2008 MITES CLIMBING THE WALLS!
| MITES CLIMBING THE WALLS! |
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 With the warmer temperatures and sunny days, CLOVER MITES, (Bryobia praetiosa) have been seen swarming up sunny walls of buildings and entering via minute cracks and openings. Other than seeing tiny dark red-green dots before their eyes, people confronted with this barrage of 1/20" slowly roaming mites soon discover that crushing them leaves dark stains on the walls and curtains. Although outdoor perimeter sprays will help to keep the mites out, the best strategy is to seal any cracks or crevices so that wandering mites cannot get indoors. Clover mites overwinter mostly as eggs in sites protected from freezing temperatures, such as tree bark or protected areas in and around buildings. In the fall, adults may huddle in masses under siding, windowsills and conduit openings on the side of light colored buildings which receive the afternoon sun. Once temperatures warm above 40F in late winter, the eggs begin to hatch. Both the maturing nymphs and remaining adults feed upon healthy turfgrass and other herbaceous plants, and will climb from those to the warm building to breed. They will resume activity as long as temperatures stay within 40F-75F. Once summer temperatures arrive, clover mites become inactive or lay dormant eggs. To control clover mites, maintain an 18-24" bare strip along the south and western sides of the building. Do not allow turfgrass to grow against the south or west sides of a structure, as the turfgrass provides the perfect habitat for these mites. Seal and caulk cracks or openings, and treat preventively with a pyrethroid labeled for this treatment if necessary. For more information, see:
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| Last Updated ( Thursday, 24 April 2008 17:55 ) |
