# bermudagrass mites - caught on camera



## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

So, last year I thought I found damage consistent with bermudagrass mites. But they seemed to be a rare thing, and when I emailed some photos of the damage to the university they didn't seem to think it was an issue. 
Fastforward to this year, more of the same, and like last year can't keep it hydrated, tufts, etc. Well, I took some of the witches broom tufts and pulled open the leaves and stuck them under the microscope. (we are a homeschooling family, so of course we have a microscope, lol). 
This isn't the greatest view - my husband took it with the iphone up against the eyepiece, but yup, we got critters in the grass!
Anyone want to split a bottle of abamectin, lol? That stuff isn't cheap, and I need like, half an oz. Sigh. (oh....just realized Ebay has smaller amounts!)


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Abamectin 0.15 EC is 1/2 oz per 1000 sq ft when used in Australia against Bermuda Mites


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

Greendoc said:


> Abamectin 0.15 EC is 1/2 oz per 1000 sq ft when used in Australia against Bermuda Mites


Interesting. Now I need to go double check the UF article I was reading!


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

@Greendoc thank you for catching that! I was not taking into consideration the difference in concentration between brands! The UF article was using the 8% version!

any guesses onto volume of water to use? Is 1 gallon per 1K sufficient do you think?


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

Video if anyone is interested, it isn't great quality, but sort of interesting. https://www.facebook.com/katie.loeschmeyer/videos/pcb.10157456072013666/10157456070908666/?type=3&theater


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Nematode rate is 1 1/2 oz per 1000 sq ft immediately watered in. 1 gallon of water per K but with a good surfactant and the spray nozzle designed to apply a fine mist that covers everything for Bermuda Mite treatment


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## Chippydips (Aug 1, 2019)

I'm having this same issue right now as well. I'll be scalping right before application per the University of Florida article since it's getting to be late spring here pretty soon.

I went around the yard today and they've really been doing a number on my edges. So much damage that small sections could be pulled up just like carpet off a floor. So far additional irrigation has not help the spread.


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

Greendoc said:


> Nematode rate is 1 1/2 oz per 1000 sq ft immediately watered in. 1 gallon of water per K but with a good surfactant and the spray nozzle designed to apply a fine mist that covers everything for Bermuda Mite treatment


Thank you! 
Knew I'd get help here. Really really hoping this works (plus I'll start bagging clippings, which I have not been doing). At least now I know what killed off some sections and has been thinning others.


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

@Greendoc or anyone else that has an opinion - found one label that actually said how to treat the mites with it, says to apply and then apply irrigation for about 0.10 inch. Does that sound right? All the other bottles just label nematode method, although they give rate for mites.

And any difference for time of day? I was thinking to spray tomorrow morning, no rain for tomorrow but will rain all day Sunday. or could try to spray tonight.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Apply tonight. No need to water in.


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

Thank you, sir!


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

So, I was really tired, my foot hurts (either plantar fasciitis or a stress fracture....probably should get that checked), etc and I was thinking about putting it off...but my kids (whom I love dearly) are driving me nuts....so at this point I'm more than willing to shoulder the backpack sprayer if it means getting outside in the peace and quiet, lol.


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## Suaverc118 (Jul 28, 2017)

So is this what's causing my issues on my lawn?


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Suaverc118 said:


> So is this what's causing my issues on my lawn?


Looks like Bermuda trying to transition out of spring. Height of cut also looks high. It is not a pest.


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

Yeah, with mine even the green bermuda is all clumpy and weird, stunted into little mini stolons. Not like that at all.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Bermuda Mites will cause what is called witch's brooming. Where the end of the stolons has a concentration of distorted shoots. Distortion of shoots or blistering of leaves is a common damage symptom for Eriophyid mites.


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

Greendoc said:


> Bermuda Mites will cause what is called witch's brooming. Where the end of the stolons has a concentration of distorted shoots. Distortion of shoots or blistering of leaves is a common damage symptom for Eriophyid mites.


Yup. I've got them all over. Makes me a bit annoyed that I emailed photos to the turf entymologist at the university last year and he said it didn't look like pest damage. Turns out my microscope and google disagree.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

I have had to use the entomology and plant pathology courses I took as part of my degree to get me through most of the turf problems I have seen. Universities, including the ones in Florida have been of minimal utility to me. I think a lot of it has to do with having to walk the line between identifying a problem and the solution being one that is not politically correct.


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## Suaverc118 (Jul 28, 2017)

@Greendoc , my mower height is at 1 3/8 with rotary at the front lawn, and on the side I cut at 1 3/4


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

I just placed my order for Abamectin from DoMyOwn. I assumed that the witches brooming that I was seeing in my lawn last year was due to the regulation, but this Spring, it became more prominent. I did a scalp earlier this spring, but didn't go down to dirt. I do have it under regulation right now with PGR, but once I get closer to Summer, I'm going to scalp it again. During that time of waiting, I will be treating at the rates that @Greendoc recommended, and hoping to get some relief. Be sure that when you're mowing that you're collecting the clippings, to help prevent the spread. For reference, I was cutting with a reel at 0.500, but have since raised my HOC to 0.625 and at summer will be at 0.750.

This is the tufting that I was seeing. 


We homeschool as well, and have a microscope, but I didn't catch any on camera, but the results are still the same.





I did find an interesting article relating to the abatement procedures with cultural practices. https://www.gcmonline.com/course/environment/news/bermudagrass-mite


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

If you want to try again with the microscope, what worked was peeling the blades off the main stem, then looking where on that blade where it had been peeled back. They hide inbetween, in the crevices, so you have to really peel stuff apart. Took us a few tries to find them.


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

More photos of the weirdness and yellowing of turf. 




My grass is under regulation as well, so I do want to scalp it, just going to wait until the weekend...that should time it properly so it can recover.


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

I emailed the guy who wrote that article, and he got back to me today. Confirmed the mites, and basically said, "sorry", lol. Said they are getting only mediocre results with the stuff labeled for golf courses, and terrible results the stuff labled for homeowners. That eventually I'll probably just want to resod with a different grass. So, yeah. 
To recap for my options in Florida:
Bermuda - nematodes, bermudagrass mites
Zoysia - nematodes, zoysia mites
St. Augustine - very little chemical controls, WILL get infested with wild Bermuda (unless ProVista), chinch bugs, sugar cane mosaic virus (incurable, not sure if it has made it to Orange County yet..worst in Floratam).

No wonder people end up with artificial turf! (also, guy who wrote the article told me I was the second person to ask about bermudagrass mites today!)


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## scenery163 (Jun 25, 2018)

So bad to hear! Mine is under the same situation. Last year I thought it was just the power of the PGR, this year I had done a heavy scalp and detach, but the same areas are having the same issue.


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## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

Thoughts on these?

Noticing longer runners that have some of these smaller tufts. Decent rooting in some crappy clay soils, but some less than stellar areas in my back yard that look like this. Mowing pretty low around .5 inches, and this is without PGR on TifTuf that's almost a year old. I did spray PGR yesterday but this isn't the issue.







Thoughts if this is mites, something else, or just shoddy cultural practice?


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## Suaverc118 (Jul 28, 2017)

I'm just at a loss for my lawn already. So many bare spots, sprigs dying going from like a red tint, to brown, then disconnecting from the ground and turning white. Every day, I'm collecting handfuls of these dead Bermuda sprigs. Very frustrating.


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## FlaDave (Jul 10, 2018)

I've suspected this since last year. But most of the lawn looks great. I seem to only have concrete bordering areas with this issue. A normal piece in there for size comparison.


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## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

@Suaverc118 i have the similar issue, can't tell if I need to just need to verticut and suck it all up. Under these springs of stolons standing up in clumps the grass is so thick and dense under it. It's growing over my water meter but several inches and has these small nodes too so I just don't know if it's just me mowing a ton and short, and kind of damaging it since I mow so often, or something else


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

Fat city - the rest of the grass looks so healthy i can't imagine it is the mites. They really do a number on it.


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

FlaDave said:


> I've suspected this since last year. But most of the lawn looks great. I seem to only have concrete bordering areas with this issue. A normal piece in there for size comparison.


That definitely looks like mite damage. Any damage is worse with stress, and I think mine showed up first in areas that had drought stress. I'd at least be bagging clippings if I were you, to avoid spreading it. And if you want to go ahead and treat you can find small amounts of abamectin (for your fig trees and ornamentals, of course) on ebay.


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

Or, if you want to drop some samples off at my place I'll take a look under the microscope for you. I have some high risk family members or I'd just meet you some place and we could look together, but if you drop off I'll let you know if I find any. (i was a certified vet tech in my former life, so I am trained to look for parasites with a microscope). 
Or you could send a sample over to UF for them to see what is going on, they can be more definititive I'm sure. Or email the photos to the guy at clemson.


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## Guest (May 12, 2020)

FATC1TY said:


> @Suaverc118 i have the similar issue, can't tell if I need to just need to verticut and suck it all up. Under these springs of stolons standing up in clumps the grass is so thick and dense under it. It's growing over my water meter but several inches and has these small nodes too so I just don't know if it's just me mowing a ton and short, and kind of damaging it since I mow so often, or something else


my vote is to verticut...that seems pretty dense and healthy overall


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## FlaDave (Jul 10, 2018)

ktgrok said:


> FlaDave said:
> 
> 
> > I've suspected this since last year. But most of the lawn looks great. I seem to only have concrete bordering areas with this issue. A normal piece in there for size comparison.
> ...


These areas haven't gotten any worse or better since last year so I may just give the abamectin a shot.

So I read through this entire post and just want to confirm the math/procedure.

1.5oz abamectin 0.15 ec + 1 gallon water + 2tbs NIS or MSO per 1/M

Spray in the evening, do not water in.

Does that sound about right?


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

FlaDave said:


> ktgrok said:
> 
> 
> > FlaDave said:
> ...


UF says more like 0.5 fl oz of abamectin 0.15. More didn't get rid of more mites, just was phototoxic to the the grass.


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## FlaDave (Jul 10, 2018)

ktgrok said:


> FlaDave said:
> 
> 
> > ktgrok said:
> ...


Thanks for the clarification, I will put it down and hope for the best.


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

Greendoc said:


> Abamectin 0.15 EC is 1/2 oz per 1000 sq ft when used in Australia against Bermuda Mites


@FlaDave double checked (because numbers are not my thing) and yes, 0.5fl oz of the Avid strength (or Minx, etc) is in line with what UF used (they used something like 0.14 fl oz of the 8% strength off the top of my head). You can look up the label for Divanem, which is the abemectin version labeled for bermuda mites to get the instructions. I did read in a few places that mowing first might help, to expose the mites more. I didn't do that for my first treatment but will next time.


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## FlaDave (Jul 10, 2018)

Oh ok i see. I just checked out that UF article. Looks like it translates out to .56oz since the divanem is a stronger concentration. Round down to .5oz for simplicity.

Interesting how they mentioned that a late spring scalp reduced damage through the growing season. I may have unintentionally mitigated the mites last year with my repetitive scalping.

Ive already been catching my clippings this year to keep the mess out of the house so may as well just keep doing that.

Thanks for the info.


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

One week after applying Abamectin, not sure if I'm seeing improvement or not. There IS new grass taking over some previously thinned out dead areas, but there is also widespread witches brooming. Not sure at this point if the new grass will win or if it is dead grass walking...just doesn't know it is doomed yet. Will apply abamectin again next week, at the 14 day mark. Put down Bonide Infuse Fungicide, with Thiophanate Methyl day before yesterday, along with some fertilizer and some fire ant granules. (bait type)
Planning to scalp it this weekend, likely this evening, or least mow it. Now sure how low to go to balance stressing the grass that is already stressed, and likely has nematode issues as well as the mites, vs cutting off the infested grass blades and encouraging that new lower growth (think that is the Royal Bengal, vs the stupid Maya variety). We got rain last night, nice and slow and steady, which helped it a lot. Possibly just a temporary boost, feels like my grass is on hospice, lol. 
Last month I got busy and barely got any fertilizer down, less than 1/5 a pound of N and K, so this month I bumped it up, and over two applications, two weeks apart, have applied about 1.25 lbs nitrogen, 0.5lbs phosphorous (soil is naturally high, but given the stress figured a bit might help, especially some areas having roots that don't look good), and 0.8lbs K, and plenty of micronutrients in there as well, including manganese, iron, etc. About half the N was slow release, partly due to ease of getting it/applying and partly due to reading in multiple places that fast growth from quick release N can encourage the mites (and nematodes). 
Will likely spray Azoxystrobin with the second dose of abamectin, unless there is a reason not to. Also will have some of that Exteris Stressgaurd stuff on hand before too long, thanks to a fellow board member, so at some point that will go down for the likely nematodes.


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## Guest (May 16, 2020)

Good luck with your Bermuda mite issue I for one will definitely keep checking this post &#128077;


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

And..feeling less hopeful...just walked out to get something from the car and saw a whole new area full of witches brooms, near my mailbox. Ugh.


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

@Greendoc honest opinion, think it is possible to actually win this fight? The Clemson guy was not encouraging, but wanted your opinion. @viva_oldtrafford as well. 
Also, would you scalp it down, to try to cut the mites off manually? And if so, how to time that with spraying? I sprayed Abamectin on the 8th, supposedly the idea is to repeat at 2 week intervals (although life cycle seems to be 5-10 days so not sure why I wouldn't do it at 10 days). Do I scalp now? Or wait and scalp right before spraying?


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## viva_oldtrafford (Apr 4, 2018)

ktgrok said:


> @Greendoc honest opinion, think it is possible to actually win this fight? The Clemson guy was not encouraging, but wanted your opinion. @viva_oldtrafford as well.
> Also, would you scalp it down, to try to cut the mites off manually? And if so, how to time that with spraying? I sprayed Abamectin on the 8th, supposedly the idea is to repeat at 2 week intervals (although life cycle seems to be 5-10 days so not sure why I wouldn't do it at 10 days). Do I scalp now? Or wait and scalp right before spraying?


At this time, I think it's a losing battle. For me, the cost per acre just isn't at a point where I can justify it (even with the generic abamectin), and from everything I've read and heard, control (even suppression) can be iffy, at best. I think our state chapter has funded some grants in an attempt to gain better understanding, but those results are not in yet. In the meantime, I just choose to turn a blind eye to my areas (albeit limited ones).


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## ktgrok (May 25, 2019)

viva_oldtrafford said:


> ktgrok said:
> 
> 
> > @Greendoc honest opinion, think it is possible to actually win this fight? The Clemson guy was not encouraging, but wanted your opinion. @viva_oldtrafford as well.
> ...


Yeah, that's pretty much what the guy from Clemson said. He's apparently doing most of the research on this, and getting not a lot in way of results. At this point, I'm thinking I'll treat again, see what happens. I REALLY don't want to spend the money to resod the area right now, but also don't want to dump tons of energy and money and time into something that is a lost cause. 
Only good thing is everyone else's yards look even worse, lol. Most don't irrigate, so other than a few stand outs in the neighborhood, even my sickly but mowed and irrigated bermuda looks better than the yards with mostly weeds and bare spots.


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## lilslugger (Aug 7, 2019)

I think I have mites as well. Was looking at deltagard or Bifenthrin, till I read this post. Any feedback on which one worked? Below are pictures I took a few months ago, need to capture the witches broom areas better up close.


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## scenery163 (Jun 25, 2018)

lilslugger said:


> I think I have mites as well. Was looking at deltagard or Bifenthrin, till I read this post. Any feedback on which one worked? Below are pictures I took a few months ago, need to capture the witches broom areas better up close.


I had tried Nematode, Bifen with multiple applications, none seems efficiently worked. But as long as I see them when doing a mow, I manually remove the witches' brooms with scissors and dispose them properly, there are fewer and fewer affected areas.


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