Beneficial Insects and Pest Look-a-likes:
      How To Tell Friend from Foe

Some mites are common pests, but there are also beneficial mites. Mites are small and may be difficult to see.

But if you look closely, you can tell good from bad.

With a good hand lens (and set of eyes) you should be able to distinguish the shape, leg length, and speed of mites to tell whether they are predators or pests.

Pest
Identified by:
 - football shape
 - short legs
 - slower moving

Pest
Identified by:
 - football shape
 - short legs
 - slower moving


Beneficial
Identified by:
 - pear shape
 - long, spider-like legs
 - fast moving

Beneficial
Identified by:
 - pear shape
 - long, spider-like legs
 - fast moving