Two Spotted Mite

Two Spotted Mite (Tetranychus urticae) adults are usually less than 0.5 mm long with eight legs, and their spider-like appearance can only just be seen with the naked eye. Under a x10 hand lens, the active form appears translucent or sometimes greenish with two conspicuous black spots on the body. The two-spotted mite has a wide host range, comprising broad leaved weeds, grasses, and crop plants such as strawberries, stonefruit, apples, pears, beans, tomatoes, cotton, bananas and papaya, as well as ornamentals such as roses. Damage is minor and infrequent. The appearance of mites is often an indication of excessive insecticide use. Insecticide kills the biological control agents, such as predatory lady beetles and mites. When mites feed, they suck the contents out of individual plant cells. The feeding can cause extensive leaf, flower and fruit damage. Leaf damage is distinguished by the development of yellow mottled or stippled areas, particularly on the underside of leaves. Damage first appears near the main leaf veins.