Fuchsia gall mite

(Aculops fuchsiae)

Fuchsia gall mite is a serious pest of fuchsias. It is a microscopic, sap-sucking mite that causes extensive distortion and galling on fuchsia shoots, leaves and flowers.

1. Shoot tips swollen and distorted, often with a reddish or yellowy-green discolouration
2. Flowers deformed or fail to develop

Fuchsia gall mite only attacks fuchsia plants. It is a microscopic, sap-sucking mite – less than a quarter of a millimetre long – that causes extensive distortion and galling of fuchsia shoots, leaves and flowers.

As it is so tiny, fuchsia gall mite is easily blown from plant to plant by winds and may even be carried around by insects.

As it needs warm conditions, it is worse on fuchsias grown indoors in greenhouses and conservatories and during hot summers.

It probably doesn’t survive temperatures below 5C (41F), so outdoors it is less of a problem on hardy fuchsias, as cold winters should kill it.

Fuchsia gall mites overwinter on and around buds, but can remain active during the winter on indoor fuchsias if kept in warm conditions.

Its lifecycle takes less than one month to complete, so several generations occur from spring to autumn.

• Fuchsias

Fuchsia gall mites initially infest the new growth produced at the shoot tips. While sucking the sap, they secrete chemicals that produce the distorted growth and galling of the leaves and flowers.

As their numbers increase, the growth becomes increasingly distorted and eventually plants don’t produce normal leaves or flower buds. The growth at the shoot tips turns into a mass of distorted, pinky-red or yellowy-green tissue instead of normal growth. Plants no longer flower.

As fuchsia gall mite numbers increase quickly, it is important to check fuchsia plants regularly, and dealing with them as soon as you see any symptoms developing.

Carefully cut off affected growth, cutting back into healthy growth. Enclose them in a plastic bag before removal to reduce spreading the mites. This is unlikely to control infestations, as the mites are likely to attack the new growth.

Fuchsia gall mites are fairly tolerant of insecticides, so spraying is unlikely to be effective. However, you may still want to try.

“Plant Invigorator” products, may also be worth a try. These are not pesticides per se, but plant growth stimulants that control pests by physical methods.

Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use. Plants in flower should not be sprayed due to the danger to pollinating insects. Either spray early in the morning or late in the evening when pollinating insects are less likely to be active.

There is very little you can do to prevent fuchsia gall mites attacking your fuchsias. A few varieties have been shown to be less susceptible, such as ‘Cinnabarina’ and ‘Miniature Jewels’.

• Insecticides
• Secateurs

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Fuchsia gall mite image by PaleCloudedWhite [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons