Olive bud mite - Oxycenus maxwelli

Olive bud mites are extremely small and very difficult to see without magnification.

They average in length from 0.1 to 0.2 mm and are yellow to amber in colour, flattened and pear-shaped.

They only have two pairs of legs which are located at the front.

These mites commonly feed on the upper surfaces of olive leaves but infest the under surfaces when populations are high (Keifer 1939).

New buds, shoots, stems and leaves are preferred.

This Primefact covers the following topics:

• Known Hosts
• Damage
• Life Cycle
• Distribution