What does spider mite look like on grapes? - briefly
Spider mites show up as minute, pale‑green to yellowish dots, each less than 0.5 mm long, often accompanied by fine silken webbing on grape skins and leaves. Under magnification they appear as moving specks that may cause stippling or a dusty discoloration on the fruit surface.
What does spider mite look like on grapes? - in detail
Spider mites on grape clusters appear as tiny specks, often less than 0.5 mm in length, with a flattened, oval shape. Their bodies are reddish‑brown to yellowish, and the legs are barely visible without magnification. When many individuals congregate, they create a stippled, almost dust‑like coating on leaf surfaces and fruit skins.
Key visual indicators include:
- Webbing: Fine, silken strands radiating from the point of infestation, especially on the underside of leaves and between grape berries. The webbing is usually white to amber and may trap dust.
- Leaf discoloration: Early damage shows as pale, stippled patches that later turn bronze or yellow. On fruit, the same pattern can appear as a mottled, uneven coloration.
- Spotting on berries: Small, translucent spots where mites feed, often surrounded by a faint halo of chlorotic tissue. The spots may coalesce, forming larger necrotic areas.
- Presence of exuviae: Shed skins of molting mites accumulate near feeding sites and appear as tiny, pale shells.
Microscopic examination reveals the mite’s dorsal shield, marked with a series of setae (bristles) arranged in rows. The ventral side shows a pair of anterior eyes and four pairs of legs, each ending in a claw that grips the grape surface.
In severe infestations, the combined effect of feeding and webbing reduces berry firmness, accelerates shrinkage, and promotes secondary fungal infection. Early detection relies on careful inspection of the undersides of leaves and the fruit surface for the described signs.