Lewis Mites 2025 – a Poinsettia Problem that’s Here to Stay?

*Lewis mite damage on poinsettia. Photo by OMAFA.*

Let’s face it: although Lewis mites (Eotetranychus lewisi) used to be more of a cyclical pest, this mite has been consistently bad in poinsettia the last few years. As regular Lewis mite infestations now seem to be the new normal in poinsettia, this week is the time to to start thinking about your pest control plan for Lewis mite.

Whether you choose the preventive route or the wait-and-see approach, knowing which strategies and chemicals are working is critical. Read on for tips on dipping to prevent mites along and what we learned from last year‘s chemical approaches.

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Lewis mites! 2024 Updates in Poinsettia

lewis mite_UCANR — *Lewis mite. Photo from University of California.*

Lewis mite is one of those pests that seems to go in cycles – some years we don’t see it at all, and some years I get reports as early as August.

This year there seems to be scattered reports. Given that Lewis mite populations can ramp up in a warm fall and rear their ugly heads in October, it seemed like a good time for an update on what’s working, and what’s not.

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Points for Points! Production Pointers for 2024 Poinsettias

This post was contributed to by Abigail Wiesner, Drs. Sarah Jandricic, and Chevonne Dayboll.

Christmas in July? Not quite, but poinsettias are making their way into greenhouses across Ontario, and they always arrive at the hottest time of the year.

Nutritional issues, environmental stress, PGR mistakes and early diseases can all be costly in this high-value crop. Read on for common pitfalls and how to avoid them, as well as links to pest management information in early production.

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Poinsettia Pest Management Pointers 2023: Late Production and the Whitefly “Tipping Point”

It’s that time of year again, when problems early in the crop may have caught up with you. This includes root rots, Lewis mite, and Bemisia whitefly.

Now, you’ll be forced to make a choice with your poinsettia crop. Do you stay the course with a biocontrol program? Or spray for pests? And, as always, the question is “spray with WHAT”?

This post has tips on pest management decision making when it comes to common poinsettia problems in October.

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Poinsettia Pest Management Pointers: Early Production 2023

Hopefully you’ve read our previous post on pest management in propagation. Now it’s time to cover poinsettia IPM during early production.

This post will cover the first signs of root rots, as well as whitefly and Lewis mite monitoring and management. As healthy plants are better able to defend themselves from pests and diseases, we’ll also give a quick nutrient refresher.

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Poinsettia Problems: Your Monthly Scouting Guide, 2021

JF14 — *This post on poinsettia problems was contributed to by Drs. Chevonne Dayboll and Sarah Jandricic.*

When poinsettias get problems, they always seem to hit hard and fast. Things like whitefly, Lewis mite, root rots, and nutritional issues can all quickly derail a quality crop. This is why scouting might be more important in this crop than any other.

Here’s a month by month guide on what you should be looking for to prevent small problems from becoming big issues.

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Poinsettia Problems: Your Monthly Scouting Guide

Here’s a month by month guide on what you should be looking for to prevent small problems from becoming big issues.

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99 Poinsettia Problems: Your Monthly Scouting Guide

Okay, so Poinsettia don’t really get that many problems. But when issues arise, they can hit a crop fast and hard. Whitefly, Lewis mite, root rots, and nutritional issues can all quickly derail a quality crop.

Here’s a month by month guide on what you should be looking for to prevent small problems from becoming big issues.

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Thinking ahead: What you can do THIS WEEK to prevent Lewis mite damage in your poinsettias.

2016 turned out to be a bad year for Lewis mite (Eotetranychus lewisi) in poinsettia. Although it’s too early to say how 2017 is going to go, you should be considering possible preventative measures THIS WEEK for Lewis mite, especially if you have a history of Lewis mite with your cuttings. Treatment of this pest is more difficult later in the crop (though not impossible). Keep reading for biological and chemical control options for this pest.

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Lots and Lots of Lewis mites! (And how to go about controlling them in poinsettia).

You know how I just wrote a post on how you need to look out for unprecedented mealybug infestations in your crop this year? Well I lied! Now you need to look out for mealybug AND unusually high numbers of Lewis mites!

Read further for what consultants have been seeing out in the greenhouse and for effective control strategies.

Continue reading “Lots and Lots of Lewis mites! (And how to go about controlling them in poinsettia).” →