Broad mite & Russet mite

Broad mite and cyclamen mite each feed on a wide variety of crops and exhibit similar damage symptoms. They feed in the tight, newly emerging foliage and flower buds, with the damage becoming obvious as the plant tissue develops and enlarges. Toxins injected by the mites result in distorted, thickened and twisted growth at the top of the plant and in the flowers . The occurrence of these symptoms is usually the first indication that growers have a problem. These mites can be distributed throughout the greenhouse as hitchhikers on workers, equipment and even on insects such as whitefly.

Russet mite belongs to a different family of mites known as gall mites and is even smaller than the broad mite and cyclamen mite. It is an elongated mite approximately 0.2 mm long and 0.05 mm wide (Figure 7). It differs from other mites in having only two pairs of legs in all stages. Because of its size, it often develops large populations before being noticed. It is primarily a pest of tomato but can also occasionally be found on other members of the tomato family.