Lactuca sativa ramosa Fine Webbing - Causes & Fixes

Jump to cause: Two-Spotted Spider Mite Infestation Tetranychus urticae (European Red Spider Mite) outbreak High Humidity and Fungus Gnats (Secondary Silk)

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Two-Spotted Spider Mite Infestation

Spider mites are common pests of L. sativa that thrive in warm, dry conditions; they pierce plant cells to suck sap, leaving behind characteristic fine silken webbing as they move across the leaf undersides.

Very Common

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How to confirm: Hold a white piece of paper underneath a leaf and tap it to see if tiny crawling specks fall onto the paper.

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1 Immediately spray the plant with an organic insecticide to eliminate the spider mite population and destroy eggs.

Bonide Captain Jack's Neem Oil 32 oz

0.9 L • 1 pcs • Organic

$10

In Stock

2 Increase humidity and reduce heat around the plant, as spider mites thrive in warm, dry environments.

3 Gently wipe the undersides of the leaves with a damp cloth to physically remove webbing and remaining mites.

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Tetranychus urticae (European Red Spider Mite) outbreak

A specific highly aggressive strain of spider mite that can rapidly colonize branching lettuce, causing stippling (small yellow dots) on the leaves alongside dense webbing in newer growth.

Very Common

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How to confirm: Inspect the leaf undersides for tiny reddish or orange moving dots near the site of the webbing.

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shopping_cart Recommended Products

1 Apply an organic insecticide spray to eliminate the spider mite population and destroy eggs, larvae, and adults.

Bonide Captain Jack's Neem Oil 32 oz

0.9 L • 1 pcs • Organic

$10

In Stock

2 Increase humidity around the lettuce and ensure good airflow to make the environment less hospitable for mite reproduction.

3 Monitor soil moisture levels closely to prevent the plant stress that often triggers mite outbreaks.

GROWIT Soil Moisture Meter - Blue

Water Meters

$12

In Stock

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High Humidity and Fungus Gnats (Secondary Silk)

While fungus gnats do not produce webbing, high humidity levels in dense lettuce crops can cause organic debris or fungal hyphae to look like fine, thread-like structures across the foliage.

Common

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How to confirm: Check if the 'webbing' is actually sticky or fuzzy rather than structured silk and look for small black flies near the soil surface.

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shopping_cart Recommended Products

1 Apply an organic insecticide to eliminate fungus gnat larvae and adults, and use yellow sticky traps to capture flying adults.