[IN1217] Biology and management of the bermudagrass mite, Eriophyes cynodoniensis

The bermudagrass mite, Eriophyes cynodoniensis(Sayed) (Arthropoda: Arachnida: Eriophyidae), also known as the couch grass mite, can be a serious pest of bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon [L.] Pers.) in multiple high-maintenance turf systems such as sod production, athletic fields, and golf courses. Like most eriophyid mite species, the bermudagrass mite specializes on one host plant and thus does not attack other plant species. Mites in the family Eriophyidae are commonly known to cause leaf and bud galls on their host plants, which can lead to severe aesthetic damage and plant decline or death in high maintenance areas with low tolerance for plant damage. In this publication, we review the biology, identification, and management of the bermudagrass mite. We also provide specific management recommendations based on evidence from UF/IFAS research.