Spider mites
Tetranychidae; identification to species matters
Fine stippling and webbing are different clues from couch-mite brooms.
Photo: CSIRO · source · CC BY 3.0. Displayed at reduced size; card crops fit the layout.
What to look for
- Fine pale stippling can develop on affected leaves.
- Some species produce fine webbing in heavier infestations.
- Tiny mites or eggs may be found with magnification.
Confirm it before you treat it
Check leaf undersides with a hand lens and collect a clear specimen image. Couch mites shelter in leaf sheaths and distort shoots; spider mites are a different group. The CSIRO images show two-spotted spider-mite specimens, not proof of the species in your lawn.
What to do next
- Compare fresh affected leaves with healthy turf and confirm the mite group.
- Check soil moisture and avoid unnecessary drought stress.
- Ask us for species-specific Australian product advice before applying a miticide.
Conditions matter more than dates.
Warm dry weather and stressed turf can favour mite problems. Distribution, species and host affect the diagnosis.
Use hot dry spells as a monitoring prompt, especially where irrigation coverage is uneven.
Can I treat all mites with the same product?
No. Confirm the mite, grass and label use. A product name or general mite claim is not enough.
More views. Better clues.
Read each caption and compare fresh symptoms in your own turf.
Reviewed 11 October 2026 · Turfmate. Seasonal windows are indicative planning guidance, not measured outbreak or prevalence data.
Technical sources & image credits
- Lawn Solutions Australia: spider-mite identification
- Syngenta Australia: managing turfgrass mites
- Spider mites — Photo: CSIRO · source · CC BY 3.0. Displayed at reduced size; card crops fit the layout.
Photos support identification and may have been taken outside Australia. Appearance varies with species, mowing and conditions. A Turfmate product link does not imply endorsement by a photographer or source.