What does a spider mite look on geranium? - briefly
Spider mites are tiny (0.2‑0.5 mm) pale green to yellowish specks that congregate on the undersides of geranium leaves, leaving a fine silken web. The infestation produces stippled, bronze‑colored patches and a dusty web covering leaf margins.
What does a spider mite look on geranium? - in detail
Spider mites on geraniums are microscopic arachnids, typically 0.2–0.5 mm long, barely visible to the naked eye. Adult females are oval, pale green to yellow, sometimes reddish, with a soft, translucent body. Males are smaller, darker, and less conspicuous. Their legs are six in number, each ending in fine, bristled claws that allow rapid movement across leaf surfaces.
Key visual indicators include:
- Fine, silvery stippling on the upper leaf surface, produced by the mites feeding on cell contents.
- Tiny yellow or bronze specks where individual mites have settled.
- A webbing network, especially along leaf margins and in the crown of the plant; the silk is delicate but becomes denser under heavy infestation.
- Leaf chlorosis and eventual bronzing, beginning at the leaf edges and progressing inward.
- Stunted growth and distorted new shoots, often accompanied by leaf drop.
Life‑stage differences are observable under magnification: eggs appear as minute, oval, light‑colored capsules attached to the undersides of leaves; larvae (six-legged) are translucent and less pigmented than adults; nymphs (eight‑legged) resemble miniature adults but lack fully developed coloration.
These characteristics together provide a definitive description of spider mite presence on geraniums.