Mites
PestsAct soon
No visible pests but falling yield and quality: mycelium thinning and mushrooms damaged. Mites are too small to see with the naked eye.
Likely causes
- Poorly pasteurised substrate
- Flies and old bags or debris that carry mites
- Poor hygiene between crops
What to do
Pasteurise substrate thoroughly, control flies, clean and disinfect the room, remove old bags and debris promptly, and wear clean clothes: mites can cause itchy rashes in growers.
Easily confused with
Not sure?
Walk through the troubleshooting guide, ask the AI Grow Consultant, or check the conditions your species needs on its species page.
Sources
- Mushroom Growers' Handbook 1: Oyster Mushroom Cultivation, chapter 8 'Mites' (MushWorld (2004)). Mites belong to the arachnids; Tarsonemus and Histiostoma species are the major mushroom-damaging mites; they are too small to see, feed on mycelium and fruiting bodies causing yield loss and lower quality, carry pathogens and nematodes and sometimes cause itchy rashes in growers; thorough pasteurisation of substrate is very important for mite control.
Last updated: 2026-10-19