Two-Spotted Mite (Tetranychus urticae), also called Red Spider Mite, is a major pest in vegetable, fruit, flower and ornamental crops both indoors and outdoors all over the world.

The eggs of Two-Spotted Mites are found mostly on the underside of the leaf. They are round, have a diameter of about 0.14 mm and are transparent when laid. Under ideal conditions, a female can lay more than 100 eggs.

The colour of adult Two-Spotted Mite depends on the crop they are feeding on. Males and females usually have two large black spots on each side of the body, which can vary in size and shape. In harsh summer conditions, the female can be a bright red colour, and there can also be an orange overwintering form that can be mistaken for the red-coloured predatory mite, Phytoseiulus persimilis.

Two-Spotted Mite quickly become active during warm, hot and dry conditions. They spread to adjacent plants by moving on the ground or along crop wires. They can spin silk threads which they use to release themselves from the plant surface, and can be moved to new sites by air currents and wind. They can also be dispersed by infected plant seedlings, machinery, workers’ hands or clothing, or even birds.