spider mite
nounDefinition of spider mite
: any of various small web-spinning mites (family Tetranychidae) that include destructive pests of plants
— called also red spider
Examples of spider mite in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In the hot weather, tiny spider mites take up residence on dusty leaves. — Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, "September gardening: 22 things to do this month," 5 Sep. 2019 Now would be a good time to check your plants and trees for spider mites. — Joan Morris, The Mercury News, "Gardening in the Bay Area: August to-do list," 22 Aug. 2019 The same action helps wash off aphids or spider mites. — Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Water needs for roses rise with summer temperatures," 11 July 2019 Plants growing in rock mulch are also great places for spider mites to establish. — Betty Cahill, The Denver Post, "How to get bad insects out of your garden, from Japanese beetles to spider mites," 24 June 2019 With high temperatures, spider mite populations grow fast. — Calvin Finch, ExpressNews.com, "How to stop the bugs eating your tomatoes, peaches," 21 June 2019 Minimal disruption means to avoid shaking off or dropping any of the spider mites. — Calvin Finch, San Antonio Express-News, "It’s early, but you may want to pull your tomatoes now," 22 June 2018 McDonald described a crop that was infected with powdery mildew from the beginning and later was infested with spider mites and other pests. — Michael Dresser, baltimoresun.com, "Regulators investigating Maryland medical marijuana grower for alleged pesticide use," 9 July 2018 Tiny spider mites cause yellow-stippled leaves; control these pests by knocking them off the plant with a spray of water. — The Editors, Good Housekeeping, "The Secret to Growing the Most Flavorful Eggplants," 27 July 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'spider mite.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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