Redlegged earth mites

There have been several reports of redlegged earth mites emerging post-diapause in the cooler wetter regions of Victoria and southern NSW. Agronomist, Dave Eksteen (NSW DPI), says redlegged earth mites have been found in many pastures in the Rivernia district of NSW.  Agronomist, Paul Parker (NSW DPI) reports redlegged earth mites have hatched across many parts of the South West Slopes of NSW. Most reports indicate high numbers on pastures and emerging cereals.

Jon Shuter (NSW TAFE) has reported redlegged earth mites around Wagga Wagga, with damage occurring on oats. Consultant, Tim Condon (Delta Agribusiness), has reported redlegged earth mites around Harden and Junee, in the South West Slopes of NSW. Tim says the damage to pastures and emerging cereals caused by mites may be negated by the vigorous plant growth that has occurred due to the good autumn rains and weather conditions.

Redlegged earth mites are one of the most important establishment pests in Australian agriculture. They attack a variety of crops and pastures, including cereals, oilseeds, legumes and fodder crops. Redlegged earth mites can also survive on a variety of weeds, particularly broad-leaved weeds. For this reason, management of weeds can play an important role in reducing the build-up of mite populations within crops.

It is important to monitor mite numbers at this time of the year because emerging seedlings are particularly vulnerable to attack. Examine plants for damage and search for mites on leaves and on the soil surface. There are a variety of chemicals registered for earth mites which, if used within 2-3 weeks of emergence, can drastically reduce mite populations.

Before deciding on the most appropriate control measure, ensure the correct mite species has been identified. Problems can occur when growers use recommended pesticide rates to control a particular pest and then find that another unexpected pest is present that is not controlled by these sprays or seed dressings. For example, pesticide rates of many products used against redlegged earth mite are not effective against bryobia mites.