What does a cucumber leaf infested with spider mites look like? - briefly
The leaf surface shows pale speckles and a fine, silvery web, most evident on the underside. Tiny, moving dots—spider mites—appear as a dusty coating across the damaged area.
What does a cucumber leaf infested with spider mites look like? - in detail
Cucumber foliage attacked by spider mites shows a distinct pattern of damage that progresses rapidly under warm, dry conditions. The primary symptom is a fine, stippled discoloration on the leaf surface; tiny yellow to white spots appear where the mites have pierced the mesophyll cells. As the infestation intensifies, these spots coalesce, creating a mosaic of pale and darker tissue that reduces the leaf’s photosynthetic capacity.
Additional visual cues include:
- Fine, silvery webbing on the underside of leaves, especially along veins and leaf margins.
- Curled or distorted leaf edges, often turning upward or downward as tissue desiccates.
- A mottled appearance where the upper surface looks speckled while the lower side reveals a dense network of web.
- Premature leaf drop; heavily infested leaves become brittle and detach from the plant.
The damage typically begins on the newest growth, where mites favor tender tissue, and spreads outward. Early signs may be mistaken for nutrient deficiency, but the presence of webbing and the characteristic stippling distinguishes spider‑mite injury from other pests such as aphids or whiteflies. Prompt identification relies on close inspection of both leaf surfaces for the minute arthropods—usually less than 0.5 mm in length—moving among the webs.