Fruit crops attacked include blackberries, blueberries and strawberries. A number of vegetable crops such as tomatoes, squash, eggplant, cucumber are also subject to twospotted spider mite infestations and damage. The mite is also a pest of trees and may damage maple, elm, redbud and has been reported on ash black locust and popular. The twospotted spider mite is also a serious pest in greenhouses as well as on field grown chrysanthemums. The mites generally feed underneath the leaves and cause graying of the leaves due to mesophyll collapse and yellowing.
Necrotic spots occur in the advanced stages of leaf damage.
Mite damage to the open flower causes a browning and withering of the petals that resembles spray burn. Spider mites feed by penetrating the plant tissue with their mouthparts and are found primarily on the underside of the leaf. It is estimated that 18 to 22 cells are destroyed per minute. Continued feeding causes a stippled-bleached effect and later, the leaves turn yellow, gray or bronze. Complete defoliation may occur if the mites are not controlled.