What does a blackberry mite look like? - briefly
The blackberry mite is a microscopic, translucent oval arachnid about 0.2–0.5 mm long, with a soft pale body and short legs. Under magnification it appears as a faint, elongated speck moving across the fruit surface.
What does a blackberry mite look like? - in detail
The blackberry mite is a microscopic arachnid, typically measuring 0.2–0.5 mm in length. Its body is oval to slightly elongated, divided into a gnathosoma (mouthparts) and an idiosoma (main body). The dorsal surface appears pale yellow to light brown, often translucent, allowing internal organs to be faintly visible under magnification.
The idiosoma bears four pairs of short, stubby legs positioned near the anterior margin. Leg segments are smooth, lacking prominent setae; each leg terminates in a tiny claw. The ventral side features two pairs of pedipalps, which are longer than the legs and equipped with sensory hairs.
Eyes are absent; visual perception relies on tactile cues. The gnathosoma includes chelicerae that are slender, needle‑like, and adapted for piercing plant tissue. Around the mouthparts, a small, rounded capitulum may be observed.
In the immature stage (protonymph), the mite is slightly smaller and exhibits a more translucent cuticle, with reduced leg length. Adult females are generally larger and may display a faintly darker hue, especially near the posterior abdomen, where egg‑laying structures (oviposition sites) can be seen as tiny, raised bumps.
Key identifying characteristics:
- Size: 0.2–0.5 mm
- Color: pale yellow to light brown, translucent
- Body shape: oval, divided into gnathosoma and idiosoma
- Legs: four pairs, short, clawed, setae‑free
- Chelicerae: slender, needle‑like
- Absence of eyes
- Egg‑laying bumps on females’ posterior abdomen
These features distinguish the species from other eriophyid mites that infest blackberry plants.