Spider Mites on Junipers
Spider mite damage can ruin your evergreens
Spider mites are tiny arachnids (spider and tick relatives). They are very small and to humans appear only as tiny dots on the leaves of plants. Because they are so small, they can do a lot of damage before you may even realize you have an infestation. When plants are in stress, especially drought stress in the summer, spider mites move in to take advantage of their weakened state.
Junipers that are drought stressed often succumb to spider mite damage in the summer. Signs you should look for are yellowing or browning of foliage on individual branches and a very fine lint-like webbing in the foliage and twigs. As the damage is done, entire stems or branches will brown and die.
