Spider mites are small, often difficult to see without a hand lens. Spider mites puncture plant tissue with piercing mouthparts to feed on plant juices. Chlorophyll is removed along with plant fluids. As a result, plants infested with spider mites have a white or yellow speckled appearance. The plants look dull and unthrifty.
Mites feed primarily on the undersides of leaves, out of sight and away from direct sunlight.
Heavy infestations discolor leaves. When mites feed on fruit, it causes bronzing or russetting. This discoloration makes the fruit cosmetically unappealing but seldom damages the edible interior of the fruit. Heavily infested plants drop their leaves prematurely. Mites tend to congregate on the south and west side of plants, where dry winds and heat stress occur.