The twospotted spider mite and European red mite thrive under hot, dry summer conditions, whereas the spruce spider mite and southern red mite prefer cooler temperatures in the spring and fall. Being familiar with the following four mite species will help you to determine which landscape plants are most susceptible, and the time of year they are most vulnerable to attack. This is the most common and destructive mite on deciduous ornamentals. It has an extremely wide host range and will feed on many varieties of trees, shrubs, flowers, weeds, fruits, greenhouse and field crops. Immatures and adults are yellowish to greenish with two dark spots on either side of the body.
Eggs are spherical and translucent.
Strands of webbing are spun by the mites on the undersides of infested leaves and between branches. Twospotted spider mites overwinter as adult females in the soil or under the bark of host plants. They become active during the spring and may feed and reproduce throughout the summer and into fall provided conditions remain favorable for plant growth. It is considered a warm season mite which thrives under hot, dry summer conditions. Damaging populations seldom during wet, cool weather.