How does a spider mite reproduce? - briefly
Spider mites deposit eggs on leaf surfaces, often on the underside, and a mature female can lay dozens of eggs in a short period. The hatchlings progress through several mobile larval stages before maturing into reproductive adults.
How does a spider mite reproduce? - in detail
Spider mites reproduce through a rapid, often seasonal, cycle that combines sexual and asexual mechanisms. Adult females deposit eggs on the underside of leaves, embedding each egg in a protective silk sac. An individual can lay 30–100 eggs over a lifespan of 5–10 days, depending on temperature and host plant quality. Egg development takes 2–4 days at 25 °C, after which larvae emerge.
The immature stages progress as follows:
- Larva – six legs, non‑feeding, molts after 1–2 days.
- Protonymph – eight legs, begins feeding, molts after 1–3 days.
- Deutonymph – continues feeding, prepares for adulthood, molts after 1–3 days.
- Adult – sexually mature; females become reproductive within 24 hours of the final molt.
Mating occurs shortly after adult emergence. Males locate receptive females using pheromonal cues and engage in brief copulation, typically lasting less than a minute. Fertilized eggs develop into females, while unfertilized eggs produce males, reflecting a haplodiploid sex‑determination system. In many species, females can also reproduce parthenogenetically when mates are scarce, producing only female offspring.
Population growth is exponential under favorable conditions. A single female can generate up to 300 offspring within two weeks, and successive generations may overlap, creating continuous pressure on host plants. Environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and photoperiod influence developmental rates and sex ratios, with higher temperatures accelerating development and often increasing the proportion of females.