Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-gtxcr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-20T01:09:37.560Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Bionomics of the Tea Red Spider, Oligonychus coffeae (Nietner)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

G. M. Das
G. M. Das
Affiliation:
Senior Entomologist, Tocklai Experimental Station, Cinnamara, Assam.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

The red spider, Oligonychus coffeae (Nietn.), is the most widely distributed and probably also the most serious pest of tea in north-eastern India, and also occurs on tea in other parts of India and in other countries. It attacks jute, Corchorus capsularis, in India and has been recorded on a wide variety of other plants in India and other countries.

The life-history of O. coffeae in north-eastern India is described. The duration of the life-cycle varies with the season depending on the temperature and humidity.

In May and June the life-cycle is completed in 9·4–12 days outdoors, while in the cold weather it may take as much as 28 days. The maximum length of life of a female has been found to be 29 days indoors. The males usually die within four or five days. Parthenogenetic reproduction may take place under induced conditions, the progeny being all males.

Red spider normally attacks the upper surface of the mature leaves in which the sap is not flowing freely. In a severe infestation, particularly under conditions of dry weather, the lower surface and the young leaves are almost equally attacked. The affected leaves turn brown, then bronze, and may eventually dry up and fall off.

The red spider mites live under a cover of web that they spin as a protection against inclement weather. The pest occurs in severe form from March to June but with the monsoon rains it practically disappears. A second, light, attack may, however, develop in September or October.

During the cold weather, the mites are present in very small numbers on a few old leaves of the tea bushes, and with the rise in temperature in the spring, they multiply rapidly, resulting in subsequent heavy infestations.

Various factors influence the incidence of red spider and the intensity of its attack. Pruned bushes properly cleaned out are less affected. Bushes defoliated after pruning, and medium pruned tea remain practically unaffectsd. Prolonged dry weather during the early part of the flushing season normally increases the red spider incidence. It prefers bright sun and unshaded areas are more severely attacked.

The red spider spreads from bush to bush by crawling. Dispersal is also effected by various agencies such as wind, cattle, goats and labourers.

A number of predatory insects attack eggs and other stages of the red spider, often keeping it considerably in check.

Type
Research Paper
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 50 , Issue 2 , August 1959 , pp. 265 - 274
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1959

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Andrews, E. A. (1920). Insect pests of tea in north-east India during the season 1919.—Quart. J. Indian Tea Ass. 1920 pp. 27–36.Google Scholar
Andrews, E. A. (1928). Red spider.—Quart. J. Indian Tea Ass. 1928 pp. 206–219.Google Scholar
Baker, E. W. & Pritchard, A. E. (1953). A guide to the spider mites of cotton.—Hilgardia 22 pp. 203–234.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bernard, C. (1909). Over de ziekten der theeplant veroorzaakt door mijten.—Meded. Proefst. Thee no. 3, 117 pp.Google Scholar
Carpenter, P. H. & Antram, C. B. (1911). Cold weather work.—Quart. J. Indian Tea Ass. 1911 pt. 4 pp. 1–13.Google Scholar
Comrie, L. C. (1939). Proceedings of the Third Annual Conference, Indian Tea Association pp. 13–14.Google Scholar
Das, G. M. (1948). Insects and mite pests of jute.—Sci. & Cult. 14 pp. 186–190.Google Scholar
*Demokidov, K. E. (1916). On the life-history of the tea moth, Parametriotes theae, Kusn.—Rev. russe Ent. 15 pp. 618–626. (Rev. appl. Ent. (A) 4 p. 334.)Google Scholar
Green, E. E. (1890). Insect pests of the tea plant.—104 pp. Colombo.Google Scholar
Harrison, C. J. [1938]. The occurrence and treatment of red spider on tea in north east India.—Memor. Tocklai exp. Sta. Indian Tea Ass. no. 2, 26 pp.Google Scholar
Hope, G. D. (1915). Addresses to Darjeeling planters.—Quart. J. Indian Tea Ass. 1915 pp. 100–108.Google Scholar
Hutson, J. C. (1921). Scale insects and mites upon tea.—Trop. Agriculturist 56 pp. 378–380.Google Scholar
Light, S. S. (1927). Mites as pests of the tea plant.—Trop. Agriculturist 68 pp. 229–238.Google Scholar
Misra, C. S. (1913). The red spider on jute (Tetranychus bioculatus, Wood-Mason).—Agric. J. India 8 pp. 309–316.Google Scholar
*Nietner, J. (1861). Observations on the enemies of the coffee tree in Ceylon.—31 pp.Google Scholar
Du Pasquier, R. (1932–33). Principales maladies parasitaires du théier et du caféier en Extrême-Orient.—Bull. écon. Indochine 35 pp. 223B–253B, 367B–415B, 589B–618B, 689B–720B; 36 pp. 1–144.Google Scholar
Pritchard, A. E. & Baker, E. W. (1955). A revision of the spider mite family Tetranychidae.—Mem. Pactf. Coast ent. Soc. 2, 472 pp.Google Scholar
*Prostosserdov, N. N. (1917). The cultivation and treatment of tea in Transcaucasia.—60 pp. Petrograd. (R.A.E. (A) 5 p. 454.)Google Scholar
Rau, S. A. (1941). Report of the Entomologist.—Rep. Tea sci. Dep. U.P.A.S.I. 1940–41 pp. 41–50.Google Scholar
Shiraki, T. (1920). Insect pests of the tea-plant in Formosa.—Proc. 3rd ent. Mtg Pusa 2 pp. 629–669.Google Scholar
Smee, C. (1927). Report of the Entomologist.—Rep. Dep. Agric. Nyasaland 1926 pp. 13–20.Google Scholar
Tucker, R. W. E. (1926). Some South African mites. Mainly Tetranychidae and Eriophyidae.—Mem. Div. Ent. Dep. Agric. S. Afr. no. 5 pp. 3–15.Google Scholar
SirWatt, G. & Mann, H. H. (1903). The pests and blights of the tea plant.—2nd edn., 429 pp. Calcutta.Google Scholar
Wood-Mason, J. (1884). Report on the tea-mite and the tea-bug of Assam.—20 pp. London.Google Scholar