The legs of the spruce spider mite are pale yellowish brown. Males are smaller and more slender than females. The eggs of these mites are red or brown, round and a little flattened. The larvae of cool weather mites are slightly larger than the eggs and have six legs.
Nymphs are similar to adults although some nymphs are smaller.
Biology Spruce spider mites are found throughout North America. Southern red mites are found in the eastern United States and California. Southern red mites prefer azaleas, hollies and camellias but they have been recorded from a number of shrubs and herbs. Spruce spider mites feed on junipers, spruce, arborvitae, and other coniferous evergreens. Southern red mites feed on the lower leaf surface, causing mesophyll collapse.