What do you suppose this is?

Firstcrush · August 21, 2011

Ugh! What next?Thanks for your help!
Donna

Zana · August 21, 2011

I'm not quite sure, but it look like it might be some kind of cocoon. Sorry I can't be of more help. I'm sure somebody here will know better than I.

Zana

rnewste · August 21, 2011

Last year, we had a bad infestation of Tomato Russet Mites here in N. California. I had those webs you show in your photos and they destroyed several of my plants by early August. The only product that seemed to be effective against them was Take Down Garden Spray:

It is relatively "benign" as it is made up of mostly Canola Oil. Be sure to use a sprayer which can spray the underside of the leaves, which is where these bad boys hang out. I buy this at Yamagami's Nursery in Cupertino. As it is a "local" product, you should be able to find it at any Nursery in N. California. About $16.00 for the pint of concentrate.

Raybo

travis · August 21, 2011

The leaf is already removed from the plant. No need to spray insecticides on that leaf!

Inspect your plants for more of the same. If you find a few more, remove the leaves and keep the cap on the insectide bottle. If you find many, and they begin to hatch, and the hatchlings begin to destroy your tomatoes, you might consider employing an insecticide.

The bugs may be a species that doesn't even prey on tomato vines. Why spend unnecessary time and money employing chemical insecticides (whether synthetic based or biological) on a bug that just happens to find your tomato leaves an accomodating nesting place?

I prefer integrated pest management starting with the least toxic and moving to the more toxic remedies only as needed. I think advising or even encouraging instant attacks with chemical spray, especially if the spray is effective on a broad range of bugs and you're only seeing one species with as yet unknown potential for plant damage, is irresponsible in my opinion.

rnewste · August 21, 2011

travis,

Last Season, I followed this same advice - - and this was the result as of August 7:

It is virtually impossible to inspect the undersides of every leaf, yet it is critical to eliminate ALL of these guys. My own experience was that I waited way too late to commence spraying with Take Down Garden Spray. I am in full agreement with you to commence spraying with the most "benign" formulation of Insecticide, then ratchet upward, if necessary.

In my view, Take Down Garden Spray with its composition, is the least toxic product needed to do the job on Tomato Russet Mites.

Raybo

maf · August 21, 2011

I don't know what creature made that web, but it was obviously several orders of magnitude larger than a Tomato Russet Mite.

rnewste · August 21, 2011

Maf,

It is not actually a "web", but more of a fine cocoon type structure. This has also been identified with the presence of Spider Mites. Ether way - - you DON'T want them!!!

Raybo

maf · August 22, 2011

I can find no references online to any type of webbing or cocoon associated with Tomato Russet Mites, and I fail to see how a creature invisible to the naked eye could make a structure like that.

I have seen Spider Mite webbing many times, and the structure shown in the picture does not look like the webbing I have seen. Maybe it is Spider Mites, maybe not, but I don't see how it is possible to make an informed decision based on a picture of a single leaf without any further information about the extent of any webbing on the rest of the plant and the general plant health.

JMO.

oc tony · August 22, 2011

http://http://www.mastergardenerssan...o+Russet+Mites

travis · August 22, 2011

Why not take it to UC's ag. extension agent for possitive ID?

August 21, 2011	#2
Zana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Southwestern Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,521	I'm not quite sure, but it look like it might be some kind of cocoon. Sorry I can't be of more help. I'm sure somebody here will know better than I. Zana

August 21, 2011	#3
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	Last year, we had a bad infestation of Tomato Russet Mites here in N. California. I had those webs you show in your photos and they destroyed several of my plants by early August. The only product that seemed to be effective against them was Take Down Garden Spray: It is relatively "benign" as it is made up of mostly Canola Oil. Be sure to use a sprayer which can spray the underside of the leaves, which is where these bad boys hang out. I buy this at Yamagami's Nursery in Cupertino. As it is a "local" product, you should be able to find it at any Nursery in N. California. About $16.00 for the pint of concentrate. Raybo

August 21, 2011	#4
travis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,984	The leaf is already removed from the plant. No need to spray insecticides on that leaf! Inspect your plants for more of the same. If you find a few more, remove the leaves and keep the cap on the insectide bottle. If you find many, and they begin to hatch, and the hatchlings begin to destroy your tomatoes, you might consider employing an insecticide. The bugs may be a species that doesn't even prey on tomato vines. Why spend unnecessary time and money employing chemical insecticides (whether synthetic based or biological) on a bug that just happens to find your tomato leaves an accomodating nesting place? I prefer integrated pest management starting with the least toxic and moving to the more toxic remedies only as needed. I think advising or even encouraging instant attacks with chemical spray, especially if the spray is effective on a broad range of bugs and you're only seeing one species with as yet unknown potential for plant damage, is irresponsible in my opinion.

August 21, 2011	#6
maf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: England Posts: 512	I don't know what creature made that web, but it was obviously several orders of magnitude larger than a Tomato Russet Mite.

August 22, 2011	#8
maf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: England Posts: 512	I can find no references online to any type of webbing or cocoon associated with Tomato Russet Mites, and I fail to see how a creature invisible to the naked eye could make a structure like that. I have seen Spider Mite webbing many times, and the structure shown in the picture does not look like the webbing I have seen. Maybe it is Spider Mites, maybe not, but I don't see how it is possible to make an informed decision based on a picture of a single leaf without any further information about the extent of any webbing on the rest of the plant and the general plant health. JMO.

August 22, 2011	#9
oc tony Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: oc ca. Posts: 173	http://http://www.mastergardenerssan...o+Russet+Mites