Damage on 'Hass' avocado leaves, webbing and nesting behaviour of Oligonychus perseae (Acari: Tetranychidae)

The damage of Oligonychus perseae Tuttle, Baker and Abbatiello on 'Hass' avocado trees occurs mainly on the underside of the leaves along the midrib, main veins and leaf depressions. The lower epidermal, spongy parenchyma and palisade parenchyma cells of the leaf tissues are destroyed. Large necrotic areas on the underside of the leaves result from feeding when high population levels occur. Feeding and reproduction takes place in 'nests' of silken webbing, which also provide protection from some predator mites and other natural enemies. Oligonychus perseae shows a modification of the earlier defined life-type web nest (WN-c). The greatest number of nests built by a female was 12.17 at 20°C and the greatest number of eggs per female per nest was 5.20 at 25°C.