I think I had better get new glasses....

Below is what I have been looking at for three weeks now.  Out standing in a field, looking at a white sheet of paper in the bright sunshine.  Squinting to see what is moving around on it. 

Spider Mites seem to be everywhere this year.  In the soys, corn and edibles too.  Nothing is more fun than walking through a corn field and realizing that the leaves that are hitting your face are covered in mites.

Anyways, enough of my complaining.  As I type this, we have had a good 8 hours of rain and it looks like we should be in for another day or so of it with cooler temps.  So what does this mean to the mite population?  Below are a few links to articles that I found today. 

http://corn.agronomy.wisc.edu/Management/pdfs/A3890.pdf

http://www.entomology.wisc.edu/mbcn/field506.html

http://www.soybeans.umn.edu/crop/insects/spider_mites.htm

The Cole's notes version:  While this weather we are getting may give us some fungi help, scout your fields again on Monday.