Its origin is thought to be Africa. In the United States, the mite may be found from Florida to Arizona. It has also been collected from Las Vegas, Nevada. These areas may be yellow or brown in color.
Damage appears as a typical resetting and tufting, caused by a shortening of the internodes.
As the grass is mowed the clumps of grass become less vigorous. Infested grass will have large brown clumps of distorted stems that usually die. Grass in infested lawns usually thins, allowing weed development. The adult mites infest the grass in protected areas primarily under the leaf sheaths. The eggs are deposited in these areas.