Selective miticides should be used first if they are effective and economical. Selective pesticides are those that are more toxic to the target pest than to its natural enemies. Even if selective alternatives are not available, selectivity may sometimes be achieved by altering the timing and method of application, or by choosing a different pesticide formulation. Finally, pest managers must be aware of how other crops or crop pests in the agroecosystem of interest can affect biological control of spider mites. For example, propane flaming mint fields in late summer to suppress the soil pathogen, Verticillium dahliae, is harmful to predator mites and can result in damaging levels of spider mites during fall or the following spring.
Adjacent crops can also affect biological control of spider mites.
Populations of spider mites can rapidly increase on sweet corn, then disperse downwind to mint, potato or other susceptible crops. Western SARE is an effort of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Western region includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and the Island Protectorates of American Samoa, Guam, Micronesia and the Northern Mariana Islands.