Brown mite (Bryobia rubrioculus) – pest management

Distribution. The brown mite (Bryobia rubrioculus) is a widespread pest, being reported in most European countries, North America, North Africa, Asia Minor, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, etc. It can be found both in the lowland areas and in the pre-mountainous regions.

Description. The adult has an oval body with fewer raised edges, 0.6-0.8 mm long. It is bricky-brown in color, a property that can vary, depending on the feeding conditions. The larva, immediately after hatching, has a red-bricky color, and later, it becomes greenish or brown. They are 0.2 mm long. The brown mite can be found in all stages of development only on fruit trees.

Life cycle. It produces 6 generations every year. The brown mite overwinters in the egg stage. The eggs are laid on branches, around buds, or in cracks in the tree bark. The female lays 10-30 eggs. The larvae hatch after the atmospheric temperature reaches the lower threshold of 7º C. The first generation develops in March-May. The larvae appear at the beginning of the budding period and spread in the crown of the trees. They can be found on branches, shoots, and the underside of leaves. The development of the larval stage takes 10-25 days. After the larval stage, they become adult females. The second generation develops in May and June, the third in June-July, the fourth in July, the fifth generation in August, and August-September the sixth generation whose eggs overwinter.

Crop damage. The attack of the brown mite was determined in the case of the following fruit tree species: apple, pear, quince, almond, cherry plum, plum, apricot, cherry, sour cherry, peach, etc. It feeds on the leaves of plants, which under the influence of successive stings, discolor and dry.
The symptoms of the attack vary depending on the time of the growing season. At first, small white-brown spots appear on the leaves, without a well-defined delimitation. The attack is located mainly at the base and along the main veins.

Pest management. During the dormancy period, it is recommended to apply horticultural oil. During the growing season, specific products must be applied.

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