Tetranychidae

They infest a broad range of hosts, including vegetables like cucumbers and tomatoes, fruit trees, berries, and ornamental plants. In greenhouses and indoor environments, spider mites can remain active throughout the year, thriving in warm, dry conditions that are often detrimental to the host plants.

The biology of the spider mite involves a rapid life cycle that includes the egg, larva, protonymph, deutonymph, and adult stages. Under optimal conditions, such as high temperatures, a generation can be completed in less than a week. The female spins fine silk webbing over the leaf surface, which provides a microenvironment for the eggs and protects the colony from predators.

The damage caused by spider mites is mainly due to the piercing and sucking of plant cells. This results in stippling, chlorosis, and eventual necrosis of the foliage. As the infestation progresses, leaves may turn yellow, dry out, and drop prematurely, leading to severe yield losses and stunted growth of the entire plant.

Effective management requires an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy. Essential steps include monitoring the underside of leaves for early signs of activity, maintaining high humidity, and introducing biological control agents like predatory mites. If chemical intervention is necessary, the use of specific acaricides is recommended, ensuring proper rotation to mitigate the development of chemical resistance.