334 



THE RED SPIDER, OR SPINNING MITE. 



[Tetranychus telarms, var. humuli ?) 



i, Full-grown mite. 2, Immature mite, with six legs. 3, Egg. 

 All much magnified. 



The spinning mite, or red spider, .threatened to cause very 

 serious injury in the hop plantations this season, but a 

 .•succession of showers and a fall in the temperature oppor- 

 tunely checked its ravages. In 1868, and again in 1893, 

 this insect did much mischief in many hop grounds. The 

 leaves fell off, the burr or blossom could not develop into 

 ■cones, and, in some instances, the plants were completely 

 shrivelled up. In most seasons, at least in those in which 

 rainfall and temperature are normal, spinning mites can be 

 found upon the large leaves of the hop plants, especially 

 where the soil is shallow, but in the two years just men- 

 tioned they multiplied with wonderful rapidity. They were 

 found upon the small leaves high up the poles, also upon 

 the burr, and even in the cones themselves. 



In the present year there were grave indications in the 

 sultry days at the beginning of August that there would be 

 an equally rapid development of this pest. The lower leaves 



