What killed my cucumbers?

[al]

Hi everyone I had 6 healthy specimens grown from seed and planted them out in the polytunnel The leaves went brown then they got this odd material like a very fine spiders web on them which seems to have white dots in it maybe some sort of aphid? Diagnostic tips appreciated- please see pic!

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[JD]

Wow,never seen that before. How crushing. Can’t tell whether it’s compost or droppings in the area near the stem. I know of various moth species who spin webs but I can’t see anything has been nibbled. The other classic is red spider mite that makes webs, but as I haven’t got a polytunnel or greenhouse I’ve never seen it ‘in the flesh’. Hopefully someone else will know exactly what it is.
Good luck
Jan

[charles]

Al it looks like severe rd spider mite.
Your greenhouse must be full of it and aubergines are v susceptible too.

[al]

Sorry only just seen these replies – thankyou. Now that’s interesting because the aubergine leaves are not healthy either and the same happened last year with the aubergines though they are producing fruit OK. I woulld like to avoid removing the aubergine plants til they have fruited. Any tips for control appreciated – anyone tried biological controls?

[al]

So I have sacrificed all my melon plants which were clearly also affected and burnt them. Chickens loved the unripe melons!

My aubergine photos are attached I can’t see any of the spiders web stuff on them but leaves are mottled and there are white insects and greenfly visible on the back of the leaves (see pic)

I don’t think these are red spider mites having looked at somme pics online.

Dare I keep the aubergines? Should I just grow tomatoes next year?

Thanks for any pointers

Alastair

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