Leaves heavily infested with cyclamen mites become severely stunted and crinkled, resulting in a compact leaf mass in the center of the plant. Feeding may also result in flower withering and poor fruit production. Cyclamen mites are primarily pests in second year plantings. Eggs are translucent and comparatively large. During summer, newly hatched mites develop into mature adults within 2 weeks.
Populations build rapidly soon after they begin to infest a field.
Cyclamen mites overwinter as adult females in the strawberry crown. The cyclamen mite is extremely difficult to control by means of chemicals because the mite is resistant to many of the comercial insecticides, and because of its location within unfolded leaves on the plant. When plants are known to be infested, treat them in hot water at 100 F for 30 minutes before planting. In nurseries, early season control before plant canopy closes over is critical. Two natural predatory mites, Typhlodromus bellinus and Typhlodromus reticulatus , are efficient predators, but seldom provide economic control.