Animal Profiles
Arachnids

Mite

Acari

Living

Living individuals or members of this group exist today. This does not mean they are safe from extinction.

Mites have many lifestyles. This account follows the twospotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae), a tiny plant feeder found on a wide range of crops and garden plants.

Magnified photograph of Tetranychus urticae, the representative described here.

Magnified photograph of Tetranychus urticae, the representative described here.

Gilles San Martin from Namur, Belgium · CC BY-SA

At a glance

Location
Twospotted spider mites originated in Eurasia and now occur widely.
Habitat
Towns and cities
Diet
Herbivore
Food
Piercing plant tissue allows the mites to take cell contents, leaving pale stippling on leaves.

Classification

Common name
Mite
Browse group
Arachnids
Scientific name or taxon
Acari

Three things to know

  • Adults have eight legs.
  • Larvae have six legs.
  • Feeding can leave pale leaf stippling.

Habitat and range

Twospotted spider mites originated in Eurasia and now occur widely. They live on leaves of many plant species, including cultivated trees, vegetables and ornamental plants.

Appearance and adaptations

Adults have eight legs and can vary from greenish to reddish. Dark body spots are often visible, but colour alone is not a reliable identification feature.

Diet and behaviour

Piercing plant tissue allows the mites to take cell contents, leaving pale stippling on leaves. Eggs hatch into six-legged larvae before later eight-legged stages develop.

Sources

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