Pest profile

Honeylocust Spider Mite

Platytetranychus multidigituli · Trombidiformes: Tetranychidae[3]

Honeylocust spider mites build up in midsummer on honeylocust, bronzing the foliage and causing early leaf drop.[1]

No licensed photo of this species is available yet; the identification notes below describe what to look for.

How to identify it

  • They're barely visible to the naked eye and feed on leaf undersides, much like twospotted spider mites.[1]
  • Infested trees turn bronze in midsummer, and injured leaves often drop early.[1]

Look-alikes

Look-alikeHow to tell them apart
Twospotted spider miteA close relative with similar habits; honeylocust spider mites are easier to control.[1]

Where it lives

CSU Extension covers it on honeylocust in Colorado, especially street trees and other dry sites.[1]

Biology and life cycle

Populations increase greatly during midsummer.[1]

Mites overwinter on both the trunk and the crown.[1]

Damage and signs

  • Problems are much greater on street trees and other dry, drought-stressed sites.[1]

Health risk

It feeds on plants; CSU Extension mentions no risk to people.[1]

Control

Prevention

Water regularly during hot summer months to reduce mite numbers and damage.[1]

Biological control

Predatory bugs and predatory thrips often sharply reduce mites by late August.[1]

Pesticides

Dormant oil applied to both trunk and crown, or repeated soap or oil sprays with good coverage, can suppress them.[1]

More from Utah State University Extension

To check for mites after budbreak, hold a sheet of white paper under a branch and shake it hard; tiny moving specks on the paper are mites.[2]

Common questions

Why are my honeylocust leaves turning bronze in July?
Honeylocust spider mites feeding under the leaves cause midsummer bronzing.[1]
Does watering help with spider mites on honeylocust?
Yes; regular watering in hot months reduces mite populations and damage.[1]

Sources

  1. Colorado State University Extension, “Insect and Mite Pests of Honeylocust (Fact Sheet 5.571).” extension.colostate.edu/resource/insect-and-mite-pests-of-honeylocust/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. Utah State University Extension, “Honeylocust Spider Mite.” extension.usu.edu/planthealth/ipm/ornamental-pest-guide/arthopods/mites/honeylocust-spider-mite.php (accessed 2026-10-15)
  3. iNaturalist, “Platytetranychus multidigituli taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1472251 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-15. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.