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Tarsonemid mites are a group of tiny, parasitic pests that can cause severe damage to crops, especially in controlled environments such as greenhouses and polytunnels. These mites belong to the Tarsonemidae family and are known for their rapid reproductive cycle and ability to spread rapidly if not properly managed.

• Host plants: They primarily attack strawberries, but other crops such as peppers and ornamentals are also susceptible. The mites feed on plant tissues, causing damage to leaves, flowers and fruit.
• Impact on crops: Tarsonemid mites are notorious for causing significant damage to young leaves, flowers, and fruit, resulting in stunted growth, curled or distorted leaves, and poor fruit quality. In severe infestations, plants may become unproductive and even die.

An adult strawberry mite, at only 0.25 millimeters in size, is very small and cannot be seen with the naked eye. Use a magnifying glass to spot them. Besides the size of the tarsonemid mites, the mites are difficult to find because they live in closed bud leaves. Especially in small numbers, they are not easily detected. 

The body of strawberry mites is oval, flat and light brown in color. Both the eggs and the larvae of the tarsonemid mites are long and transparent white. The strawberry mite can be found in strawberry crops predominantly during the summer. Therefore, we recommend to take preventive measures to control this mite.

Strawberry mites (Phytonemus pallidus) can cause a range of symptoms that can significantly affect crop health and yield. Early detection is critical to prevent severe infestations and loss of production.

• Leaf deformities: Strawberry mites feed on the folded bud leaves, causing them to deform and take on a bronze appearance.
• Stunted growth: The mites feed on plant cells by sucking them dry, which can stunt bud growth and cause dwarfing.
• Loss of flowers and fruit: As a result of mite feeding, the strawberry plant may stop producing flowers and fruit, resulting in reduced yield.
• Toxic saliva: Mites release toxic saliva when feeding, which further deforms leaves and compromises plant health.
• Significant yield loss: Tarsonemid mites, like the strawberry mite, contribute to a significant reduction in fruit yield if not treated in time.

Timely identification and control is essential to prevent damage from strawberry and tarsonemid mites from escalating and affecting overall crop production.

Prevention is better than cure strawberry mites (Phytonemus pallidus). Therefore, start cultivation with certified plant specimens and separate the young plants well away from the old plants to reduce the risk of contamination of the new plants. Cross infestation is a risk, therefore ensure that there is regular monitoring for contamination if cultivation continues. Effective business practice hygiene is also important because the strawberry mite can be spread by humans. Therefore, create a hygiene protocol for visitors and have measures in place to be used by your employees.

If you do come across an infected plant, remove it immediately in a closed plastic bag to reduce the possibility of further spread. Then, do not work away from this point, but towards this point. If some plants at this point did become contaminated, this approach lets you reduce the risk of further spread as much as possible. 

Strawberry mites are hard to treat chemically because they hide in the plants’ foliage. For a summary of approved substances in strawberry crops, see the Spray reference guide. Therefore, we recommend to use biological control. Predatory mites are mostly used to control tarsonemid mites on strawberries. Amblyseius cucumeris is mostly used to control this mite. On top of that, you can also use the predatory mites Amblyseius andersoni and Transeius montdorensis.

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