[kopperdrake]

I wonder if anyone has any advice they can give me please?

I think I've found red spider mites on my mangetout and broad beans today - I've uploaded some pictures to http://drop.io/ai_garden - you can download the full-sized versions from there if it helps.

The mangetout were planted from seed and were okay a couple of days ago. The broad beans were from a local nursery. I have about 3 or 4 per leaf at the moment, and the ants seem to be taking an interest too, though not sure if that's related. The patch was new last year, no sign of them then.

What are my options? I'd prefer organic options if there are any. I know we've had a lot of lovely sun the last week or so - around the 18-20 degrees, but my father-in-law says it's strange to get them outdoors.

Thanks for any advice!

[gobs]

I think, they are not red spider mites, the name of the possible culprit escapes me right now but we had a topic on this last year, search for silvery white pea leaf or similar, you might find it, might have been by snapdragon, but I'm unsure about that... Helped you lots there.  

[kopperdrake]

Thanks for the input anyway! I've just been out and given them a really good hose down, they just fall off if you touch the leaves. They've actually spread to my cabbages and broccoli seedlings too!

[sunshineband]

Gobs is right these are not red spider mite, don't worry. They are red velvet mites and as far as I know not actually going to damage crops. They are a fairly vital part of the soil health food chain, eating even smaller bugs, and are brilliant under a magnifying glass too with their little claws like crab claws 

[kopperdrake]

Thanks sunshineband Any idea what would be causing the thread-like veins on the surface of the mangetout? Could that be frost damage?

[sunshineband]

I don't think it is frost damage it looks more like tunnels been eaten away through the leaf surface, leaving the thin inner membrane visible. Sorry I can't help you further but the Pea God (aka DD  ) will hopefully have an answer for you. This is more his thing than mine -- I don't grow peas I'm afraid.

[kopperdrake]

Cheers I'll await the arrival of the Pea Godo

Think I'll bag myself a couple of the little blighters and some leaves and take them down to the nursery tomorrow, see if they can help out too

[kopperdrake]

Ok - bagged a few of the blighters and a couple of leaves from the mangetout and popped into Swarkestone nursery - turns out they are red spider mites after all - there were others there with the same problem, the weather's just been far too good and they're a month early!

I also have leave miner too in the mangetout, and also it looks like it's beginning to appear in my cabbages. I've bought some organic spray for the mites and will see how that goes, plus I'll make sure I water them every day now. I'm going to see how bad the leaf miner gets before resorting to any non-organic stuff.

Thought I'd give people the heads up in case they're suffering the same

[DD.]

Sorry, totally missed this thread somehow. I'm blaming the man-flu.

Pleased you sorted it anyway.

[sunshineband]

http://www.defenders.co.uk/pest-problems/red-spider-mite.html

OK I am really going to stick my neck out this time despite what you were told in the garden centre, Kopperdrake (yes I know the axe is poised to fall hahahahaha)

I have included a link here with poics of red spider mites and as you can see they are not actually red, and are microscopic. Visible symptoms are usally webbing, not red mites. Your picture really is red velvet mite, IMHO.

I'm trying to disagree as politely as I know so I hope you don't mind. Bugs & beasties are one of my 'things' -- sad but true 

And glad you got the leafminer thing sorted 

[kopperdrake]

Hey sunshineband - no worries in disagreeing - s'what forums are for and me being a novice I'm glad for any advice I get!

I've sprayed them anyway, guess if they are red velvet mites then I've needlessly killed some goodies But if they were red spider mites then I've killed some baddies

I'll keep my eyes open though for more - I might try and get some more (obviously not on purpose!) if they reappear and take them to the local allotment too to see what they say. I have to admit they didn't seem very velvety - I assume the red velvet mite is the one I used to see as a kid running all over dry stone walls that we used to squash and make pretty patterns? Quite a uniform colour. But these also don't fit the red spider mite description either in that there are no webs as yet, though I may have caught them early enough, and there are no white spots that I can see either. But they do seem to be favouring my plants as opposed to just running everywhere - so I figure they're on the plants for a reason.

Still flummoxed but happy to be learning