What does a spider mite live on? - briefly
Spider mites inhabit the undersides of leaves, feeding on plant sap from a broad range of host species. They prosper on greenhouse vegetables, fruits, and ornamental foliage where humidity and temperature are favorable.
What does a spider mite live on? - in detail
Spider mites are tiny arachnids that survive by feeding on the cellular contents of plant tissues. Their mouthparts pierce epidermal cells, extracting sap and causing characteristic stippling, yellowing, or leaf drop.
Typical hosts include a broad spectrum of cultivated and wild vegetation:
- Ornamental shrubs such as roses, azaleas, and hibiscus.
- Fruit trees like apple, citrus, peach, and grapevine.
- Vegetable crops including tomato, cucumber, pepper, and lettuce.
- Field crops such as cotton, soybean, and wheat.
- Houseplants and indoor foliage, for example pothos, philodendron, and spider plant.
Within each plant, spider mites concentrate on the undersides of leaves where stomata and soft tissues are abundant. They also colonize tender new growth, flower buds, and, in severe infestations, stems and fruit surfaces.
Optimal development occurs at temperatures between 20 °C and 30 °C (68 °F–86 °F) with low relative humidity, conditions that accelerate reproduction and reduce mortality. Under these parameters, a single female can produce 50–100 eggs over a three‑week period.
The life cycle comprises egg, larva, protonymph, deutonymph, and adult stages, all completed on the same host plant. Eggs are deposited on leaf surfaces, often in clusters protected by a silken web. After hatching, mobile stages disperse short distances by walking or wind‑assisted ballooning, remaining on the same plant or moving to neighboring foliage.
Infestations weaken photosynthetic capacity, predispose plants to secondary pathogens, and can lead to significant yield loss in agricultural settings. Effective management requires monitoring host plants, maintaining humidity above 60 %, and, when necessary, applying acaricidal treatments or introducing predatory mites that compete for the same feeding sites.