Mites can injure tomatoes, beans, muskmelons, watermelons, and sweet corn.
Extended periods of hot, dry weather favors mite buildups. Infestations usually first occur at the edge of a field, typically near rank weed growth or dirt roads. Generally mites feed on the undersides of leaves. They use their sucking mouthparts to remove sap from plants, giving the upper leaf surface a speckled or mottled appearance. Leaves of mite infested plants may turn yellow and dry up, and plants may lose vigor and die when infestations are severe.