All have eight legs but are tiny and difficult to see without magnification. Mites destroy leaflet tissue by their feeding, causing leaflets to have a scorched appearance. Severely injured leaflets turn entirely brown and drop. Damage most often begins along the mid-rib and spreads outward toward the leaf margins. Damage to a tree usually begins on the lowest branches in the interior of the tree and progresses upward through the tree.
Damage is most severe in late summer and fall.
Mites overwinter in crevices on the trees, particularly around leaf scars. They emerge in early spring and begin new populations. Adult mites live an average of about 16 days and females begin egg laying at 4 - 6 days of age. Each female lays an average of about 22 eggs. The average time from oviposition to adult is about 14 days under laboratory conditions but can be as little as 5 - 7 days under favorable field conditions.