A small red spider causes major damage to fruit trees and vines in Germany. What is meant is the fruit tree spider mite, whose greed for plant sap does not stop at ornamental and useful plants behind glass. This guide explains how to recognize the pest and distinguish it from other red spiders. You can find out effective home remedies for a successful fight here.

The red spider should be fought as soon as possible

Table of Contents

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  1. the essentials in brief
  2. Recognize and distinguish
  3. Fight red spider
  4. Home remedy combat
  5. Beneficial fight red spider
  6. frequently asked Questions

    7. the essentials in brief

    • The red spider (fruit tree spider mite) is 0.6 mm in size, has 8 red legs and a brick red body with white bristles.
    • Other red spiders in Germany are: red six-eyed spider, red glossy spider, the curled spider species Nigma flavescens and the canopy spider species Trematocephalus cristatus.
    • As a pest, the red spider can be effectively combated with household remedies such as water shower, potash soap, rapeseed oil and vegetable decoction as well as the beneficial insects predatory mites, lacewings, ladybugs and ants.

    Recognize and distinguish red spider

    The fruit tree spider mite is called red spider in Germany. In fact, it is not a real spider, but a tiny, red arachnid from the spider mite family (Tetranychidae). The following table gives an overview of the characteristics by which you can recognize the pest and distinguish it from other red spiders:

    Red Spider Red six-eyed spider Red Glory Spider curling spider canopy spider
    size 0.5-0.6mm 7-15mm 3-4.5mm 2-3mm 2-2.6mm
    color body Red red/white rump Red bright red black red
    color legs Red reddish brown red to reddish brown reddish brown to yellow brown light brown to reddish brown
    Special feature back with white bristles 6 eyes black eye mounds white dots abdomen black abdomen
    botanical name Panonychus ulmi Dysdera erythrina Hypsosinga sanguinea Nigma flavescens Trematocephalus cristatus
    middle name Fruit tree spider mite woodlice hunter shine spider lurking spider none
    family spider mites web spiders orb weaver spiders curl spiders orb weaver spiders

    You can read more detailed information on the appearance of the fruit tree spider mite and common red spiders in Germany in the following short portraits.

    Red spider (Panonychus ulmi)

    The fruit tree spider mite can hardly be seen with the naked eye

    A single fruit tree spider mite, despite its 8 legs and brick red color, does not yet attract attention. With a maximum size of 0.6 mm, the arachnid is tiny. The characteristic white bristles on the back can hardly be seen with the naked eye. Only with the help of a magnifying glass can you see that the red abdomen is pear-shaped. The stinging-sucking mouthpart for the intake of food remains hidden from a viewer without a microscope.

    Fatally, the Red Spider operates a record-breaking family policy of up to seven generations a year. In combination with their preference for plant juices from fruit, vegetable and ornamental plants, these characteristics make the fruit tree spider mite a feared pest in Germany and Europe.

    Red six-eyed spider (Dysdera erythrina)

    The small red spider from the genus of the six-eyed spiders is nocturnal and rarely seen in action. Woodlice are their favorite food, which is what their middle name refers to. For this reason, buildings and basements are their preferred habitat. The red six-eyed spider can be clearly identified by its white abdomen, which contrasts strikingly with the red front body and reddish-brown legs.

    Red glossy spider (Hypsosinga sanguinea)

    The red spider does not harm the plants - on the contrary, it also catches and eats plant pests

    Dwarf shrubs and other low vegetation are the red spider's home range. Here the little red spider is busy weaving its orb webs on the hunt for juicy flies, careless mosquitoes and similarly tasty prey. The red to reddish-brown body is adorned with light stripes on each side on the abdomen, which sometimes dissolve into light dots.

    Curling Spider (Nigma flavescens)

    Curled spiders love variety. The color of the body ranges from bright red to reddish brown to light yellow. If you take a closer look, you can often see an irregular, white spot pattern on the abdomen. Some specimens boast a heart-shaped mark on the back.

    Canopy Spider (Trematocephalus cristatus)

    It is the females of this spider species that delight with their black and red color combination. Black eye mounds complement the red forebody. The little spider beauty has delicate white hair on its black abdomen. The canopy spider spices up its light brown legs with delicate rings.

    digression

    Velvet mite - innocent double

    The velvet mite (Trombidium holosericeum) is tiny, 2-4 mm long, has 8 legs and a red body. With these attributes, the widespread species of mite looks confusingly similar to the infamous red spider (orchard spider mite). In contrast to its harmful doppelganger, the red velvet mite is on the move as a beneficial insect. At the top of the menu are the eggs and larvae of numerous pests, such as the dreaded phylloxera. The location gives an important indication of whether you have the velvety red beneficial insect or the brick red pest in front of you. Velvet mites love sunny walls, dry grassland and forest edges. The red spider colonizes fruit trees and also accepts semi-shady niches.

    Combat red spiders biologically - an overview of the means

    Typical signs of a red spider infestation are crooked, small leaves and shoots as well as the fine webs of the mites

    The infestation with red spiders can be recognized by the typical damage. Light to brownish speckles spread on young leaves, which fruit tree spider mites cause with their sucking and stinging mouthparts. Because the pests deprive a plant of its lifeblood, the result is stunted shoots and stunted leaves. Fruits stay tiny. The fruit skins cork and spoil our appetite. It doesn't have to come to that if you regularly check your plants for red spiders from March/April onwards. In an emergency, these biological control agents are available to you:

    home remedies beneficials
    water shower predatory mites
    potash soap solution lacewings
    rapeseed oil solution ladybug
    plant brew ants

    Arm yourself with a magnifying glass for visual checks. The sooner you track down red spiders, the more effective the recommended control agents will be. Check in particular fruit trees in the garden, such as apples, pears, plums, gooseberries, currants, as well as begonia, gardenia, primula, hibiscus and all succulent plants. In the greenhouse and conservatory you can take a look at cucumbers, tomatoes, orchids, cacti, palm trees and lemon trees.

    The following video demonstrates in a practical and comprehensible manner how spider mites can be combated in the greenhouse on cucumbers using natural means:

    youtube

    Home remedies for red spider - tips for combating

    The home remedies in the table above have proven to be excellent indoors and outdoors in the fight against cunning red spiders. The following instructions explain in detail how to use the natural remedies competently:

    water shower

    • In the garden or in the greenhouse: rinse infested plants vigorously with lukewarm water from the garden hose (upper and lower sides of the leaves)
    • Indoor plants: Pack the root ball in a plastic bag, shower the plant upright and upside down

    Sensitive orchids and other tropical houseplants resent a water shower. In this case, wrap affected plants in a foil bag for 14 days. A markedly high level of humidity develops in the immediate vicinity of the plant, which reliably destroys red spiders.

    potash soap solution

    • Heat 1 liter of water
    • Stir in 15 ml of liquid potash soap
    • add a few dashes of spirit
    • Spray infested plants every 3-4 days

    rapeseed oil solution

    • Heat 1 liter of water
    • Stir in 200-300 ml rapeseed oil
    • Spray the tops and undersides of the leaves

    plant brew

    Nettle manure is a great fertilizer and also drives away the red spider

    • Toss 500 grams of nettle, wormwood, tansy or mugwort leaves into a vat
    • Pour 5 liters of rainwater over it
    • Cover the tub with wire mesh (€14.99) and set it up in the partially shaded spot in the garden
    • stir daily
    • After 8 to 14 days, pour off the fermenting broth

    Dilute the plant broth with rainwater in a ratio of 1:5 before repeatedly spraying plants infested with spider mites.

    tips

    The red spider is not poisonous or dangerous to humans. With a body length of 0.6 mm, the red fruit tree spider mite is far too small to perforate human skin with its tiny mouthpart. Red spiders, which are only after plant sap, pose no danger to pets either.

    Beneficial fight red spider

    Ladybugs eat both aphids and red spiders

    Predatory mites, lacewings and ladybirds enthusiastically hunt red spiders and devour their eggs and larvae with relish. The beneficial insects are available from special breeding farms, online shops and specialist retailers. Please ask carefully, because not every beneficial insect is suitable for controlling fruit tree spider mites. The correct type of predatory mite against red spiders in the orchard is called Typhlodromus pyri. The predatory mite Amblyseius californicus is more effective in the greenhouse or conservatory. On the other hand, predatory mites do not achieve any significant success against red spiders on indoor plants.

    Indoors, lacewings and ladybugs are better choices against spider mites. The live beneficial insects are delivered in the larval stage in cardboard honeycombs or organic boxes, which you can easily position between the infested plants according to the grower's instructions.

    Have ants settled in your garden? Then hire the hard-working insects to protect you against the red spider. Simply place infested pot, balcony and house plants close to the nest. In no time at all, ant workers have discovered the fruit tree spider mites as a food source and are making short work of the pests.

    frequently asked Questions

    How can you prevent spider mite infestation in the greenhouse?

    Effective prevention of spider mites in the greenhouse is constantly increased humidity. Furthermore, we recommend a regular supply of organic nutrients for strong leaf tissue that fruit tree spider mites and the like cannot pierce. Ideally, adjustable shading prevents temperatures from rising to more than 30 degrees Celsius when the sun is shining.

    We spotted a spider with a gray body and red stripes in the garden. What kind is this?

    The variable crab spider has a light colored body with red stripes

    According to your description, it is probably the variable crab spider (Misumena vatia). Males grow to a maximum of 4 mm, while females reach a whopping 10 mm in body length (legs not included). Female crab spiders can actively change their body color. A gray body with red stripes on the abdomen is very popular with the spider ladies.

    Is the bite of a red isopod spider poisonous?

    Of the red spiders that are common in Germany, an encounter with the small or large isopod hunter is rare. The six-eyed spiders with the characteristic white rear end are out and about in the basement at night, hunting woodlice. If there is a confrontation with humans, the threatened spider defends itself with its powerful poisonous claws. The bite can be quite painful. However, the amount of venom administered is not dangerous to a human.

    tips

    Red spiders love green tree discs. Natural hobby gardeners therefore do without grass and ground cover for planting under fruit trees. As a defensive measure against fruit tree spider mites, mulching tree discs with gravel, coconut discs or bark mulch has proven itself in practice.

Category:

Animals in the garden