Nymphs and adults suck the contents of sub-epidermal cells.
Reproduction is entirely parthenogenetic .
The female lives for 12 to 17 days and lays 30 eggs on average, after a feeding period of a few days. In southern Europe, up to 5 generations may occur in the open. This species usually overwinters as females sheltering in the soil. In the glasshouse, colonies may be very large and direct damage is often severe. Infested foliage is disfigured by many silvery marks corresponding to groups of empty cells.