December 2025 First Friday with Florida First Detector

Recap of December 2025 First Friday with Florida First Detector

This month, we dove into the topic of invasive mites, specifically focusing on the ones that can damage plants. These tiny arachnids are everywhere: on plants, animals, humans, stored products, soil, and even in water. Despite their size, mites play diverse roles in our ecosystems. Some are pests that feed on plants, many are decomposers, and some are even predatory.

While many can play similar roles to insects, mites differ from insects in a few ways. Mites have two body regions, the gnathosoma and idiosoma, and adult mites have four pairs of legs. On the other hand, insects have three body regions and three pairs of legs. Because mites are so small, you often need magnification to see the key features for identification.

When it comes to agriculture and horticulture, the most economically important plant-feeding mites belong to three families: Tetranychidae (Spider mites), Eriophyidae (Gall mites), and Tenuipalpidae (False spider mites).

Key Species Affecting Florida

One of the most notorious species is the twospotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae), a global pest that feeds on over 200 plant species, including crops and ornamentals. In Florida, we also face challenges from invasive species such as bermudagrass mite (Eriophyes cynodoniensis), red palm mite (Raoiella indica), and lychee erinose mite (Aceria litchii). These species are actively damaging plants across the state.

Species on Our Radar

We’re also monitoring species not yet established in Florida, including:, rose rosette virus mite (Phyllocoptes fructiphilus), Japanese zelkova eriophyid mite (Aceria zelkoviana), and citrus brown mite (Eutetranychus orientalis). Early detection is critical to prevent their spread. Mites can be tricky to identify, even under magnification. If you notice unusual plant damage, contact your local county Extension office for assistance. Accurate identification is the first step toward early detection and management.

Resources on invasive plant feeding mites

Want to watch the recording?

What is the upcoming schedule?

We are meeting online via Zoom from 12:00PM-1:00PM on the First Friday of every month from Sept 2022-Aug 2026. Maybe longer too! Please visit this blog for registration information and the upcoming schedule for Sept. 2025-2026.

Questions?

Contact Dr. Morgan Pinkerton, morgan0402@ufl.edu

Visit the Florida First Detector Website