RSM thriving in the garden

[AndyC]

It has been so warm and dry here for such a long time that I've found a couple of plants growing outside with the beginnings of a Red Spider Mite infestation. The whitish patches on this 'pink China' leaf are it :evil:

IMG_1434 by atropica1, on Flickr

[LONGK]

I've found RSM attacking my young Sesbania this year. Last year they attacked the hirsute leaves of my Cantua buxifolia which was one of the reasons that I left it outdoors to take a few frosts - completely RSM free this year.
In the greenhouse I'm virtually RSM free now thankfully, although I did find a few on the young leaves of a cutting of Passiflora "Caprice" that I was given and an Isoplexis seedling.

[charlie]

Well it is a pest that occurs outside but it is kept under control by the natural predators that eat it and a climate that doesn't let the population expand too quickly, even so it causes significant damage in fruit orchards, but I have to say I also usually use the "Bung it outside" system for things like Cantua which not only always seem to get it but react to just a couple of mites like they were stricken with some dread disease!