Spot-spray treatments may be required on turfgrass in the spring to prevent injury to turfgrass. Apply insecticides when clover mites are detected by carefully examining the grass. Limit treatments to the sunny areas next to homes or woody plants where injury is concentrated. It is a serious pest of corn and also damages drought-stressed turf. It causes grass to turn a bleached straw color, often killing it rapidly.
Banks grass mite differs considerably in appearance from the other turf-damaging mites.
It is smaller and lighter in color. During periods when the mites run out of food or environmental conditions are unfavorable, they may temporarily turn bright red. This mite lacks the elongated front pair of legs of the clover mite. Banks grass mite is more destructive to turf than other turfgrass mites. A slight purpling of the injured grass blade may be observed, which also is associated with brown wheat mite injury.