How does a spider mite look on a rubber fig plant? - briefly
Spider mites appear as tiny, pale‑green to yellowish specks, often forming fine webbing on the undersides of rubber fig leaves. Their presence is marked by stippled, discolored foliage and a dusty, almost invisible coating that can be seen when the leaf is held up to light.
How does a spider mite look on a rubber fig plant? - in detail
Spider mites that infest a rubber fig (Ficus elastica) are microscopic arachnids, typically 0.2–0.5 mm long. Their bodies are oval and translucent, allowing underlying colors to show through; they often appear pale yellow, light green, or reddish depending on age and feeding stage. Legs are long and fine, giving the mite a spider‑like silhouette when observed under magnification.
The insects congregate on the undersides of leaves, where they create fine, silken webs. These webs form a delicate, almost invisible mesh that can become denser into a powdery coating if the infestation is severe. The webbing outlines the edges of leaf sections and may connect clusters of mites, forming a patchwork of visible threads.
Feeding damage manifests as stippling: tiny, uniformly spaced, pale dots where plant cells have been punctured. As the mite extracts sap, the leaf surface becomes speckled and may later develop a bronzed or bronze discoloration. In advanced cases, leaves curl downward, turn yellow, and may drop prematurely.
Key visual indicators include:
- Microscopic, oval bodies with translucent to yellow‑green coloration.
- Fine silken threads on the leaf underside, especially along veins.
- Uniform stippling or tiny pale spots across the leaf surface.
- Progressive leaf yellowing, curling, and premature abscission.
Observation with a hand lens (10×–30×) or a microscope confirms the presence of the mites and distinguishes them from other pests such as aphids, which are larger, more rounded, and lack extensive webbing.