Red legged earth mite

Constraint – Redlegged earth mite

Appearance

• Newly hatched red legged earth mites are pink/orange with six pink legs

• Adult mites are completely black with eight red legs and are about 1mm long

• Redledded earth mites tend to feed in large groups

Symptoms

• The mouth-parts rasp the surface of the leaf to expose the cell contents which are eaten

• A silvery or bleached area develops on the leaf

• Damage genearlly occurs in autumn-winter

Damage

• Damage is most serious on seedling plants that may wilt and die from loss of sap

• Damage is most severe when seedling growth is slowed by cool, wet or dry conditions

Control

Chemical control options are the most commonly used method of control, however they are only effective against adult mites, and do not kill eggs. Seed treatment, clean fallowing, crop rotations, cultivation, hot stubble burns, and close grazing of pastures by stock in spring can also reduce earth mite numbers.  Redlegged earth mites are also preyed upon by natural predators.

Links and Resources

CSIRO - Redlegged earth mite Introduction, feeding damage, pesticide resistance, and integrated management and control. Published 2009.

DEPI VIC - Redlegged earth mite Introduction, identification and distribution, lifecycle and biology, behaviour and damage, and monitoring and control. Published 2006, updated 2014.

I Spy Manual - Redlegged earth mite Page 118. Description, confused with/similar to, distribution, pest status and risk period, host range, damage, monitoring and sampling, and management options. Published 2012.

Insectopedia - Redlegged earth mite Description, biology, damage, monitoring, sampling, and control. Published 2000.