Thus, the season's weather did not favor rust mite development and control, so false spider mite populations did build to damaging levels. There are three species of Brevipalpus in Florida and Texas B. phoenicis, B. obovatus and B. californicus, all of which affect citrus and a large variety of other species. It thrives in high density plantings. False spider mite injury to citrus leaves is an irregular to round, brown lesion surrounded by a yellow halo. The lesions can be on the margin or anywhere else on the leaf and very much resemble the symptoms we have been seeing on the fruit of oranges, except without the yellow halo.
False spider mites vector several virus and virus-like diseases of citrus and other crops.
Perhaps most notable is leprosis which results in dieback, sparse foliation and heavy leaf and fruit loss. Leprosis nearly destroyed the Florida citrus industry in the early 1920's before sulfur became widely used for mite control. Leprosis is currently of major concern in Brazil, primarily on oranges. Childers opines that a major part of the reason for the relatively lower Brazilian orange production per acre is due to leprosis. Another disease in Brazil which is transmitted by false spider mites is zonate chlorosis, which resembles leprosis on fruit and leaves, but rarely affects twigs.