By Ray and Elma Kearney
This article is written to alert field biologists and bush regenerators, to the fact that the overseas Tomato Red Spider Mite has been introduced and caution needs to be taken to restrict spreading this potentially devastating pest whilst in areas known to be infested. T. evansi originated from Brazil and spread to South and North America, Africa (end of 1980s) and Europe (Spain 1995). It had not been reported from countries in Oceania until October, 2013 when the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) advised it has now entered Australia at Botany. The link below outlines the DPI ‘Pest Alert’ and describes this ‘Tomato Red Spider Mite’ which resembles two other species of spider mites. http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/486179/Pest-Alert-tomato-red-spider-mite.pdf
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