
Community identification
Two-spotted spider mite
Tetranychus urticae
- Order & Family
- Trombidiformes, Tetranychidae
- Size
- 0.3 to 0.5 mm in length
Natural Habitat
Agricultural crops, greenhouses, and gardens, especially on the underside of leaves
Diet & Feeding
Herbivorous; they pierce plant cells to suck out chloroplasts, leading to stippling or yellowing of leaves
Behavior Patterns
They produce fine silk webbing to protect the colony and help with dispersal; they reproduce rapidly in hot, dry conditions
Risks & Benefits
Major agricultural pest that can significantly damage or kill host plants; no benefits to the ecosystem in a garden context