Explosive Two-spotted Spider Mite Outbreaks – Central Florida. Pest Update: February 2025

Extremely high populations of Two-spotted Spider Mites are occurring in Central Florida as a result of unusually warm February temperatures. Populations are spreading in plant canopies, including flowers and fruit, causing significant economic losses to growers on many farms.

Two-spotted Spider Mite (Tetranychus urticae) is a persistent threat to the strawberry industry nationwide. Their hidden colonization of plant canopies, rapid reproduction, and ability to develop resistance to chemical treatments make them especially difficult to control. Strawberry growers face significant risks because spider mites damage plants by reducing photosynthesis, stunting growth, and feeding directly on fruit causing significant crop losses annually.

With higher than normal temperatures this past month, damaging populations have broken out across Central Florida strawberry plantings and growers are in need of effective solutions to mitigate this escalating threat.

In hard hit areas, extensive webbing can be seen on foliage which protects these pests from predators and control sprays. This characteristic coupled with the dense foliar canopy of strawberry plants makes control of this pest very difficult commercially.

This infested field near Duette, FL exemplifies severe stunting and plant mortality when populations develop early in the season.

Published data developed by Dr. Frank Sances of Ag Metrics Group has shown that an average of 10-15 mites per leaf can cause measurable plant damage and yield loss. The plants shown above have had 100 or more mites per leaf for weeks at a time.

Spider Mite Trials:
​Secure A Spot in Our Spring "Add-On" Program

Currently, we are planning the Spring 2025 program at our Dover, FL strawberry research station. If you have a conventional or alternative acaricide in development, our “add on” trial program has openings for additional entries. Foliar sprays, root drench application and drip irrigation methods are possible. Your product will be compared with industry standards for efficacy against eggs, nymphs and adult stages.  At this time of year, 2-3 applications are normally made to manage this pest.

​Join Our Spring Strawberry Program Today

The industry is searching for products that can help growers manage the area-wide outbreak and prevent further losses economically important crop. If your product has potential efficacy against spider mites, please give us a call while we are filling slots in our field trial program in Central Florida. The industry is searching for products that can help manage the area-wide outbreak and prevent losses to this economically important crop. Two-Spotted Spider Mite is extremely difficult to control on strawberries and there are few effective control measures available to growers. Field trialing your potential solution in these real-world conditions could benefit everyone involved. 
 
Please call Florida Ag Research Director, Dr. Balaji Aglave, directly at (813) 892-1104. You can also email him at [email protected] or Erin Downey at [email protected] to discuss these Florida trials now starting at our Strawberry Research Center in Dover, FL. For questions regarding field trials at any of our other stations nationwide including the California Strawberry research program also with lab and field two spotted spider mite trials please contact Brad Booker at [email protected]