Until recent years not much information was known about mites and thrips. Although these insects were assumed to be pests, there was not a wide base of knowledge about the damage they cause. These are just some of the questions scientists have answered in their current work on mites and thrips. Mites are the cause of red leaf outbreaks, and have a detrimental effect upon plant growth and yield. Mites Mites are tiny pests known as the second most important cotton pest after heliothis.
Research shows that they live between cotton seasons, through winter, on weeds.
This explains why mite populations are larger following a high-rainfall winter, which produces more weeds. The finding is further supported by the dry winters of recent years, when mites have not been problematic in following seasons. The implication for growers is that by keeping weed levels low, mite populations can be significantly reduced. Sampling mites A newly-developed sampling technique for mite populations provides cotton growers and consultants with a new tool to use when calculating potential mite damage. Using this technique, growers can determine how quickly their mite population is increasing.