Ten facts about spider mites
Problems with spider mites? Contamination can come from outside but also from within your organization. One department contaminates another, an older crop contaminates a new crop, and so on. Not to worry – there are several ways to minimize the internal contamination risks.
Spider mite occurs in hotspots, and it’s important to uncover its hiding places as promptly as possible. If you take the right measures in these hotspots, you can prevent the infestation from spreading to the rest of your organization. It’s only likely to be a real challenge when the infestation is really bad. However, the following guidelines can take you a long way:
- Under no circumstances should you move contaminated plant material to another department or field.
- Do not compost contaminated material. The composting process will not kill all eggs and mites.
- Change your clothes as soon as you move from a contaminated department to another. Arrange special protective clothing for visitors.
- Spider mites are so small that they can very easily be transferred on tools, machinery, and containers. Make sure to clean such items as soon as you go to another department or field.
- Ensure that you start the winter season (or dormant period) with very little spider mite contamination. This will help to avoid problems in the following season.