Euonymus plants in Illinois may now have a light color, possibly even early red fall color, with early leaf drop. Although several people have sent samples to the Plant Clinic certain that a disease was involved, this is not the case. Our entomologist confirms that spider mites are the cause of these symptoms. The foliage shows stippling typical of mite injury. Try the"white paper test," in which you sharply tap the branch over a piece of white paper, and you will see the mites crawling around. Drought-stressed plants are more susceptible to such injury, so water the plants to maintain plant health and use cultural and chemical management suggestions to control the mites. Consult issue 14 of this newsletter for details on the twospotted spider mite.