Keep an eye out for mites.
Another summer pest to be on the look out for is spider mites. There are a number of different species to watch for: two-spotted spider mite, southern red mite, oak and maple spider mite to name a few. The two-spotted spider mite feeds on a wide assortment of ornamentals including buddleia, Euonymus alatus (burning bush), viburnums, ornamental grasses and other perennials, and flowering annuals. It also can be found on a variety of vegetable plants. The southern red mite can be found on azaleas, rhododendrons, Japanese andromeda and the various evergreen hollies.
Feeding damage (know as stippling) consists of tiny leaf discolorations that with continued feeding, run together and discolor the entire leaf. Often times, summer-feeding mites are not thought about until late-July or into August when damage becomes highly visible. However, they actually start feeding in the spring when host plants put forth new foliage. One material that could be used for mites is ultrafine horticultural oil (also known as all-season oil or summer oil). Oil is affective against all the life stages of mites - eggs, immatures and adults. You will only get good control with thorough spray coverage. This usually means treating the bottom surface of the leaves. Most mites feed in that location. Soaking the top of plant/foliage does not contact the mites and does no good. If you encounter mites on sturdy plants, a strong blast of water from the garden hose will dislodge active mites and reduce the population. Proceed with caution on fragile plants with this control tactic.
In my experience, over-reliance on general insecticide sprays can lead to mite problems. The routine use of non-selective (kills everything) products kills off the beneficial organisms that help keep mites in check. Think about the potential problems that you may create if you have a tendency to reach for the spray bottle every time you see a bug.
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