Adult
Adults are usually less than 0.5mm in length, have 8 legs and their spider-like appea
rance can just be made out with the naked eye. Under a x10 hand lens the active form of two-spotted mite appears translucent, greenish, and has two conspicuous black spots on the body. Under adverse conditions the two-spotted mites become reddish-orange. The banana spider mite is more straw coloured and lacks spots. The main distinguishing feature between the two species is the lack of fine webbing in infestations of the banana spider mite.
Immature Stages
The clear, very small spherical egg is followed by three immature stages that are similar to the adult stage.
Life history
The life cycle of both species can be completed in 1 to 4 weeks, depending on temperature and there are many overlapping generations each year. Populations increase rapidly in hot dry weather. All stages of the life cycle plus cast skins and dead mites occur together, mostly near the veins of the underside of leaves but with high numbers can extend over the whole leaf and fruit.
Distribution
Throughout Queensland.
Host Range
Two-spotted mite has a wide host range, consisting of broadleaved weeds, grasses, and crop plants such as strawberries, stone fruit, apples, pears, beans, tomatoes, cotton etc. and ornamentals such as roses.
Adults are usually less than 0.5mm in length, have 8 legs and their spider-like appea
rance can just be made out with the naked eye. Under a x10 hand lens the active form of two-spotted mite appears translucent, greenish, and has two conspicuous black spots on the body. Under adverse conditions the two-spotted mites become reddish-orange. The banana spider mite is more straw coloured and lacks spots. The main distinguishing feature between the two species is the lack of fine webbing in infestations of the banana spider mite.Immature Stages
The clear, very small spherical egg is followed by three immature stages that are similar to the adult stage.
Life history
The life cycle of both species can be completed in 1 to 4 weeks, depending on temperature and there are many overlapping generations each year. Populations increase rapidly in hot dry weather. All stages of the life cycle plus cast skins and dead mites occur together, mostly near the veins of the underside of leaves but with high numbers can extend over the whole leaf and fruit.
Distribution
Throughout Queensland.
Host Range
Two-spotted mite has a wide host range, consisting of broadleaved weeds, grasses, and crop plants such as strawberries, stone fruit, apples, pears, beans, tomatoes, cotton etc. and ornamentals such as roses.
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