What does a spider mite look like on a lemon? - briefly
Spider mites appear as minute, oval to spindle‑shaped arachnids, typically 0.2–0.5 mm long, with a translucent yellow‑green to reddish hue that blends with the lemon’s surface. Infestations are marked by fine, silvery webbing on leaves and fruit, and tiny stippled or speckled discolorations where the mites feed.
What does a spider mite look like on a lemon? - in detail
Spider mites on lemon trees are minute arachnids, typically measuring 0.2–0.5 mm in length. Their bodies are oval, soft, and translucent, allowing internal organs to be faintly visible. Color varies from pale green to yellowish‑brown, often matching the surrounding leaf tissue, which aids concealment.
Key visual indicators include:
- Fine, web‑like silk strands on the leaf surface, especially along the undersides; webs appear as thin, silvery threads that may connect clusters of mites.
- Stippled or speckled discoloration on the lemon leaf, manifesting as tiny yellow‑white spots where mites have fed.
- Presence of tiny moving dots when the leaf is gently disturbed; the mites may crawl rapidly, forming dense colonies.
- Slightly curled or distorted leaf edges, resulting from prolonged feeding damage.
On the fruit itself, spider mites may be less obvious, but their activity can cause:
- Minute stippling on the rind, often mistaken for sun‑scald or nutrient deficiency.
- A faint, powdery residue composed of mite excrement and shed skins, especially near the stem attachment.
Detection is most reliable when inspecting the lower leaf surface under magnification. The combination of tiny, translucent bodies, webbing, and characteristic stippling confirms the presence of spider mites on lemon foliage.