In warm weather, six-legged larvae hatch from the eggs. They develop into eight-legged nymphs, which pass through two nymphal stages. After each larval and nymphal stage, there is a resting stage. The adults mate soon after emerging from the last resting stage, and in warm weather the females soon lay eggs. Each female may lay over 100 eggs in her life and up to 19 eggs per day.
Development is most rapid during hot, dry weather.
A single generation may require as many as 20 or as few as 5 days to reach adulthood and begin producing offspring. The mites are usually found on the underside of leaves. Thorough application of a miticide to the underside of the plant foliage is essential for good control. An alternative to chemical controls is a strong water spray applied to the undersides of the leaves every three days during hot weather. Miticide applications may be needed 7 to 10 days apart to kill mites that were in the egg and resting stages during the first application.