Oligonychus ununguis (Jacobi, 1905)
spruce spider mite
mainly on conifers
Picea pungens, Hungary, Budapest, Bikás park, 4.vi.2020 © László Érsek
infected shoot
much spinning around the base of the needles
the needles are mottled; here and there an egg is visible
characteristically, each egg bear on top a “haie” (recognisable at the far right egg)
mite
the body bears one, continuous, dark spot.
parasite
mites free on the leaves, much webbing. Hibernation as egg. High densities cause notable damage and browning of the needles. The shoots become shortened, the needles fall off prematurely. The trees weaken and grow more slowly under the cover of the fine webs.
host plants
polyphagous
Abies; Aesculus hippocastanum; Alnus; Buxus sempervirens; Cedrus atlantica; Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, pisifera; Cupressus nootkatensis; Euonymus fortunei; Juniperus chinensis, excelsa, oxycedrus, pseudosabina, sabina, virginiana; Picea abies, engelmannii, glauca, orientalis, pungens, sitchensis; Pinus sylvestris; Platycladus orientalis; Prunus domestica; Pseudotsuga menziesii; Quercus; Taxus; Thuja occidentalis; Ulmus.
distribution within Europe
synonyms
Paratetranychus ununguis. Oligonychus pini (Hirst, 1924) =?= O. pini Tuttle, Baker & Abbatiello, 1976 is sometimes considered a valid species.
references
Auger, Garrigue, Fossoud & Migeon (2023a), Bondareva, Zhovnerchuk, Kolodochka, ao (2020a), Geijskes (1939a), Kamaev (2022a), Kontschán, Kiss & Ripka (2018a), Lehman (2002a), Vierbergen (1990a), Yeşi̇layer & Çobanoğlu (2015a), Zhovnerchuk (2014b), Zhovnerchuk, Dudynska & Romanko (2019a).