Bryobia mites (sometimes referred to as Clover mites); the first signs of this mite are reddish tinges at branch joins in Winter. In Spring when the weather warms up, the overwintering eggs hatch. The hatched nymphs are small with bright red bodies and pale orange-coloured legs.
Plant Part: Branches and leaves
Season: Winter - Summer
Symptoms: They feed on the upper surfaces of leaves at night;piercing and sucking leaf material. This feeding causes distinctive trails of whitish-grey spots on leaves. Making the leaves look pale.
Control: If you notice the eggs early, then a dose of white oil should alleviate this pest but if you don’t pick up the signs until late Spring then an application of wettable sulphur will get rid of the adult mite that is a tiny 0.75 mm in size.
Prevention: If this mite does become a problem; keep your garden clean and well weeded, paying special attention to removing clover from around your apple tree.
References:
Primary Industries and regions SA, WA Department of agriculture and food
and of course the FST team
