01Yellowing leaves
| Possible cause | Clemson | Colorado State | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spider mites | Clemson Cooperative Extension says heavily infested plants take on a faded, yellowish or grayish look. Source: Integrated Pest Management (I.P.M.) for Spider Mites · checked 2026-09-27 | Colorado State University Extension says after a severe infestation, leaves become discolored, giving the plant an unhealthy gray or bronze look. Source: Spider Mites · checked 2026-09-27 | No matching line in the Wisconsin pages we checked. |
| Twospotted spider mite | No matching line in the Clemson pages we checked. | No matching line in the Colorado State pages we checked. | University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension says once the chlorophyll is gone, those empty leaf cells look whitish or bronze. Source: Twospotted Spider Mite, Tetranychus urticae · checked 2026-09-27 |
02Spots on leaves
| Possible cause | Clemson | Colorado State | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spider mites | Clemson Cooperative Extension says the most noticeable sign of a spider mite problem is white stippling on the leaves. Source: Integrated Pest Management (I.P.M.) for Spider Mites · checked 2026-09-27 | Colorado State University Extension says damaged areas typically show up as many small, light flecks, giving the leaf a speckled look. Source: Spider Mites · checked 2026-09-27 | No matching line in the Wisconsin pages we checked. |
| Twospotted spider mite | No matching line in the Clemson pages we checked. | No matching line in the Colorado State pages we checked. | University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension says the first sign of a twospotted spider mite infestation is usually a pale, stippled look on the leaves, though it may be less obvious on thick-leaved plants. Source: Twospotted Spider Mite, Tetranychus urticae · checked 2026-09-27 |
03Insects you can see
| Possible cause | Clemson | Colorado State | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spider mites | Clemson Cooperative Extension says the name spider mite comes from the fine silk webbing they spin, much like a spider. Source: Integrated Pest Management (I.P.M.) for Spider Mites · checked 2026-09-27 Clemson Cooperative Extension says when infestations are severe, plants get covered with a thin layer of webbing made by the large numbers of mites. Source: Integrated Pest Management (I.P.M.) for Spider Mites · checked 2026-09-27 | Colorado State University Extension says spider mites are small and often hard to see with the naked eye. Source: Spider Mites · checked 2026-09-27 Colorado State University Extension says spider mite color ranges from red and brown to yellow and green, depending on the species and the season. Source: Spider Mites · checked 2026-09-27 Colorado State University Extension says many spider mites spin webbing, especially when their numbers are high. Source: Spider Mites · checked 2026-09-27 | No matching line in the Wisconsin pages we checked. |
| Twospotted spider mite | Clemson Cooperative Extension says twospotted spider mites are easy to identify by two spots on their backs that look like little saddle bags. Source: Integrated Pest Management (I.P.M.) for Spider Mites · checked 2026-09-27 | No matching line in the Colorado State pages we checked. | University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension says twospotted spider mites are barely visible to the naked eye, usually only about 1/50 inch long when mature, appearing as tiny specks on leaves and stems. Source: Twospotted Spider Mite, Tetranychus urticae · checked 2026-09-27 University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension says twospotted spider mites range in color from light yellow or green to dark green or brown, and can sometimes be bright red. Source: Twospotted Spider Mite, Tetranychus urticae · checked 2026-09-27 University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension says adult twospotted spider mites all have two dark spots visible on the abdomen. Source: Twospotted Spider Mite, Tetranychus urticae · checked 2026-09-27 University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension says spider mites also spin fine silken webs, which they crawl over. Source: Twospotted Spider Mite, Tetranychus urticae · checked 2026-09-27 |
| Southern red mite | Clemson Cooperative Extension says southern red mites are easy to spot because of their red body color. Source: Integrated Pest Management (I.P.M.) for Spider Mites · checked 2026-09-27 | No matching line in the Colorado State pages we checked. | No matching line in the Wisconsin pages we checked. |
04Wilting or dying back
| Possible cause | Clemson | Colorado State | Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spruce spider mite | Clemson Cooperative Extension says plants infested with spruce spider mites often take on a brownish look. Source: Integrated Pest Management (I.P.M.) for Spider Mites · checked 2026-09-27 | No matching line in the Colorado State pages we checked. | No matching line in the Wisconsin pages we checked. |
| Spider mites | No matching line in the Clemson pages we checked. | Colorado State University Extension says leaves and needles may eventually drop off the plant early. Source: Spider Mites · checked 2026-09-27 | No matching line in the Wisconsin pages we checked. |
| Twospotted spider mite | No matching line in the Clemson pages we checked. | No matching line in the Colorado State pages we checked. | University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension says heavily infested leaves turn completely pale, dry up, and fall off the plant. Source: Twospotted Spider Mite, Tetranychus urticae · checked 2026-09-27 |
What to do about it. This site only covers how to recognize a problem. For what to do next, open the Extension page linked in the row: their advice is written for their region and is kept up to date by them.
Pages compared on this chart
- Integrated Pest Management (I.P.M.) for Spider Mites, Clemson Cooperative Extension (checked 2026-09-27)
- Spider Mites, Colorado State University Extension (checked 2026-09-27)
- Twospotted Spider Mite, Tetranychus urticae, University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension (checked 2026-09-27)