Pearleaf blister mite—Phytoptus pyri
Adult mites are very small and cannot be seen without a
14 to 20X hand lens. The body is white, long and slender,
striated, and with a few long hairs. Immature forms resemble
adults but are smaller.
Identification of species | Life cycle
Damage
Mites feed under the bud scales during winter and may cause buds to dry and fail to develop in spring.
Feeding on pears results in oval russet spots, usually depressed with a surrounding halo of clear tissue.
Mature fruit is often deformed and misshapen. Leaf feeding causes small blisters that are first red and
later blacken.
Solutions
In backyard situations, natural
enemies usually keep bud mites under fairly good control.
For high populations, use liquid lime
sulfur in combination with oil applied after harvest
during late October or November. Once fruit
is set, damage has already occurred and cannot be corrected. |
Adult pearleaf blister mites |
Blisters
on leaves |
Russet
spots on fruit |
|
