Contact Us
University of California Cooperative Extension Ventura County
669 County Square Drive, Suite 100
Ventura, CA 93003
Phone: 805.645.1451
Fax: 805.645.1474
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The office will be closed for the following holidays:
March 29 – Ceaser Chavez Day
May 27 – Memorial Day
June 19 – Juneteenth
July 4 - Independence Day
Tomato Russet Mites
These very tiny spiders are smaller than a speck of dust when full grown. They are yellow in color and look like the top half of an exclamation point, i.e., rounded at the head, tapering to a point at the tail end. Like dust, they are airborne and can come to your garden via the wind or on the feet of birds or insects. You will require, at least, a 10x magnifying glass to see these little pests feeding on the underside of the leaves where they suck juices from the tissue, causing the yellowing, bronzing and finally death of the foliage. Russet mites can be controlled with one thorough spraying. Complete coverage of all the foliage, top and bottom, and stems of the plant is needed for control.