What does a spider mite look like on a deca plant? - briefly
Spider mites are microscopic (about 0.2 mm), pale‑green to reddish bodies that congregate on the leaf undersides, creating stippled, yellow‑brown spots. Fine silken threads may be seen linking the affected areas.
What does a spider mite look like on a deca plant? - in detail
Spider mites on a deca (Decaisnea) plant are microscopic arachnids, typically 0.3–0.5 mm long. Their bodies are oval, flat, and lack visible segmentation. Adult females appear pale green to yellowish‑brown, while males are slightly smaller and lighter in color. The legs are long and slender, giving the mite a spider‑like silhouette when observed under magnification.
Key visual indicators on the foliage include:
- Fine, silk‑like webbing on the underside of leaves, especially along leaf veins and at leaf margins.
- Stippled or speckled discoloration caused by feeding; tiny yellow‑white spots coalesce into larger pale patches.
- A stippled “bronze” sheen on leaf surfaces after heavy infestation, resulting from the removal of chlorophyll.
- Presence of tiny moving specks when the leaf is gently disturbed; these are the active mites.
Life‑stage characteristics:
- Eggs: Spherical, translucent, deposited on leaf undersides within the webbing.
- Larvae: Six-legged, lighter in color, appear as tiny moving dots.
- Nymphs: Eight-legged, similar in hue to adults but smaller, often seen in clusters.
- Adults: Fully formed, as described above, capable of reproducing rapidly.
Distribution on the plant is not uniform. Mites concentrate on the lower leaf surface, near the main veins, and on newly emerging foliage where the sap is richest. Stressed or overly dry leaves host larger populations.
When inspected with a hand lens or microscope, the combination of minute size, pale coloration, elongated legs, and characteristic webbing confirms the presence of spider mites on a deca plant.