Avocado: Identifying Mites, Damage, and Predatory Mites

Identifying Mites and Their Damage, and Predatory Mites

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Pest mites

Avocado brown mite
Persea mite
Sixspotted mite

Natural enemies

Amblyseius (Neoseiulus) californicus
Galendromus helveolus
Euseius hibisci
Predatory and pest mite egg comparison

Names link to more information on identification and management.

Pest mites—Click on photos to enlarge

Avocado brown mite
Identification tip: Avocado brown mite is dark to brown and lays amber to brown eggs.

Persea mite
Identification tip: Persea mite is yellow to green with 2 or more dark blotches on its body.

Sixspotted mite
Identification tip: Sixspotted mite is yellowish with 6 dark blotches on its body.

Brown leaves caused by avocado brown mites

Avocado brown mite damage
Identification tip: Avocado brown mite damage causes bronzing or brown discoloration on the upper leaf surface. Silk webbing is not obvious.

Leaves with necrotic spots and silky webbed patches

Persea mite damage
Identification tip: Persea mite damage forms distinct circular, yellow or brown spots along veins on the leaf underside. Spots become visible through the upper leaf surface. The mites feed under dense silvery silken patches.

Sixspotted mite damage
Identification tip: Sixspotted mite damage forms brown to purplish irregular blotches or relatively continuous discoloring along veins on the leaf underside. Webbing is light, not in distinct round patches.

Beneficial predatory mites

Amblyseius (Neoseiulus) californicus adult
Identification tip: Adult predatory mite eating a pest mite egg. In comparison with pest species, beneficial predatory mites are more active and usually move rapidly except when feeding.

Galendromus helveolus adult
Identification tip: As with many predatory mites, the adult of this species is somewhat pear shaped.

Euseius hibisci adult mite
Identification tip: These relatively shiny mites take on the color of their prey. They frequently run away when exposed to bright light.

Predatory and pest mite egg comparison
Identification tip: Predatory mites lay an oblong egg in comparison with the round pest mite egg next to it.

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