Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Growing in Greenhouses & Polytunnels => Topic started by: Bohobumble on April 03, 2015, 18:24

Title: Larger than red spider mites?
Post by: Bohobumble on April 03, 2015, 18:24

I have found in my greenhouse in the last couple of days a few what look like really large red spider mite, about 1.5mm to 2mm, do I have humongous red spider mite or is this something else?

I am all ready to purchase the corresponding predatory mites but I want to make sure of what I have first!

Thanks for reading!

Title: Re: Larger than red spider mites?
Post by: mumofstig on April 03, 2015, 18:30

Red Velvet Mites
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trombidiidae

and they're friendly bugs :)

Title: Re: Larger than red spider mites?
Post by: Aunt Sally on April 03, 2015, 18:33

I agree with Mum.

Title: Re: Larger than red spider mites?
Post by: Bohobumble on April 03, 2015, 19:02

no, they're not this big: yPqrvxuJUxY !!

Title: Re: Larger than red spider mites?
Post by: mumofstig on April 03, 2015, 19:06

 :lol: and it's a good job they're not  :lol: :lol:

Title: Re: Larger than red spider mites?
Post by: Bohobumble on April 04, 2015, 21:18

Closer inspection and a couple of photos (which I would post except I am not sure how as yet!) have shown that this is indeed one of the Trombidiidae family.

If they eat aphids then they can stay, if they try eating me then I am evicting them!

Title: Re: Larger than red spider mites?
Post by: Bohobumble on April 12, 2015, 22:56

I did a little test as I found greenfly on a mini rose at home, I found one from the greenhouse, brought the fella home in some bubble wrap and tried to get him to stay on the darn plant - he fell off a few times.


Anyways, results were inconclusive as although he showed a little interest in one of the baby greenfly the bigger ones ran away from him. The little ones 'fell' to avoid him, so I kicked the plant outdoors overnight as I didn't want them spreading.


So the next day, the number were drastically reduced, but that may well have been the cold/windy conditions outdoors, or it could have been our friend.


Later on that day, there were still one or two on there so when I stumbled across a ladybird in the garden, he got introduced to the plant too. I had to go out so couldn't do a David Attenborough, but I think we're getting there!


Will do another inspection tomorrow, the plant will be allowed back inside if it's free of greenfly!