This is the stage in the life cycle when adults are dispersing. While on clean leaves, the adult spends almost no time resting. Moving bouts become shorter on clean leaves, but remain the same on damaged leaves. This would reflect a movement away from depleted food sources to new ones. A similar response occurs in the presence of predatory mites.
Spider mites move more and feed less if a predatory mite is near.
The oviposition life stage occurs as the female spider mites age. Oviposition requires approximately one minute of resting. On clean leaves, a network of webbing is often formed on the midrib before egg laying. Juvenile predatory mites, like the spider mites, move less than the adults. Juveniles have lower energy requirements and feed fewer times than adults do.