Broad Mite

Scientific Name: Polyphagotarsonemus latus

Order & Family: Order: Trombidiformes; Family: Tarsonemidae

Size: Microscopic; approximately 0.1 to 0.3 millimeters (too small to see clearly without magnification).

Broad Mite

Natural Habitat

Inhabits the underside of young leaves, flower buds, and developing fruits on a wide variety of greenhouse and outdoor plants worldwide.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivorous. They feed on plant sap by piercing cell walls, primarily targeting young apical growth.

Behavior Patterns

They prefer high humidity and warmth. They have a very rapid life cycle (4-6 days) and are known for 'hitchhiking' on the legs of whiteflies to move between plants.

Risks & Benefits

Significant agricultural pest; their toxic saliva causes leaf curling, distorted growth, and fruit Russeting. They provide no known benefits to the ecosystem or humans.

Identified on: 1/3/2026