Few days ago we went for a little trip to the countryside. Typically at this time of they year it is already getting dry and plants look pretty miserable if not watered. But insects are active and quite easy to find.
The first one I saw right when I stepped out of the car. It was really hard not to see it. It was all over the place!
The damn little red spider mites!
Hot, dry conditions are often associated with population build-up of spider mites. Under optimal conditions (approximately 27 °C), the two-spotted spider mite can hatch in as little as 3 days, and become sexually mature in as little as 5 days. One female can lay up to 20 eggs per day and can live for 2 to 4 weeks, laying hundreds of eggs.
source
So you can imagine the amount of them in just a few warm and dry days or weeks. The lawn that looked so nice filled with yellow flowers was also filled with the little buggers sucking up on whatever was growing there.
They were EVERYWHERE!
Bees didn't seem to be bothered or simply ignore them. There are more important things to do that dealing with them.
Did I mention they were everytwhere?
As a bonus something much nicer.
He was flying all around sitting here and there for a few second. This is the only photo I managed to take before he run away again.
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Shot with Nikon D5500 + Sigma 105mm lens
All photos and text are my own.
