Boxwood Mite
Eurytetranychus buxi
5 host plants
Last updated
Boxwood mites cause a stippled, bronzed appearance on boxwood foliage, particularly on lower and interior leaves where humidity is high and air circulation is poor. You will see fine speckling on upper leaf surfaces and tiny mites on the undersides when examined with a hand lens. Damage accumulates through the growing season and becomes most visible by late summer.
Improve air circulation by thinning dense boxwood growth during dormant-season pruning. Strong water sprays directed at leaf undersides dislodge mites. Predatory mites provide effective biological control when conserved. Horticultural oil in late winter targets overwintering eggs. Avoid shearing boxwood into dense shapes that create the humid conditions mites prefer.
Quick Reference
Cultural Controls
- Conserve natural predators such as ladybird beetles, lacewings, and predaceous mites.
- Avoid use of broad-spectrum insecticides which kill these beneficials.
- Wash mites from foliage with a strong stream of water.
- Maintain plant health.
- Healthy plants are more tolerant of insect and mite damage.
- High levels of nitrogen in the foliage encourage mite reproduction.