How do cucumbers affected by spider mites look in photos? - briefly
Infested cucumbers show speckled yellow‑green patches on the skin, frequently accompanied by fine silk webbing on leaves and fruit. The damage may also cause curling and stunted growth visible in photographs.
How do cucumbers affected by spider mites look in photos? - in detail
Cucumber foliage infested with spider mites displays several characteristic visual cues that become evident in photographic documentation. The most immediate indicator is a stippled, yellow‑to‑pale discoloration covering the leaf surface. This chlorotic pattern often begins as tiny, translucent spots and expands into larger, irregular patches that give the leaf a washed‑out appearance.
Additional features observable in images include:
- Fine webbing: a delicate, silken network can be seen on the undersides of leaves and around leaf veins, especially when mite populations are high.
- Leaf distortion: leaves may curl upward or downward, and edges can become ragged or blistered.
- Stunted growth: new shoots appear smaller, with reduced internode length, producing a compact, bushy canopy.
- Fruit surface anomalies: when mites migrate to developing cucumbers, the skin may exhibit tiny, speckled lesions and a dull, matte finish, contrasting with the usual glossy texture.
Close‑up macro shots often reveal the mites themselves: minute, oval organisms measuring 0.2–0.5 mm, typically orange‑red or pale green, clustered along leaf veins. Their presence is confirmed by the characteristic “dot” pattern formed by their movement tracks, which appear as fine, parallel scratches on the leaf surface.
In contrast, healthy cucumber plants in photographs show uniform deep green foliage, smooth leaf margins, and a lack of any webbing or discoloration. The stark difference between these visual states enables rapid field identification and assessment of infestation severity.