Carmine Spider Mite: Appearance, Territory, Damage and Life

Latin name: Tetranychus Cinnabarinus

Appearances: Despite their common name, red spider mites are typically two dark patches on a yellowish-green background. They could be completely black or become reddish-orange in the fall. On plants: During severe assaults, a fine silk webbing may be seen, and the leaves may lose the majority of their green color and become dry or fall off.

Host plants: Nearly 100 cultivated plants and weeds are attacked by this mite. On beans, eggplant, pepper, tomatoes, cucurbits, and many other vegetables, it is a devastating pest. It is a pest of several different fruits, including papaya and passion fruit. Numerous other flowers and ornamental plants, including carnations, chrysanthemums, cymbidiums, gladioli, marigolds, pikake, and roses, are also attacked by the carmine spider mite.

Territory: This mite is widespread around the world and can be found on all significant Hawaiian Islands.

Damage insect caused: Of all the Tetranychidae species in Hawaii, the carmine spider mite has the broadest host range and is unquestionably the most significant economically. Nymphs and adults mostly eat the undersides of the leaves. The feeding punctures appear as little dots on the upper surface of the leaves. The midrib and veins are frequent “pockets” where the mites like to feed. These mites typically create visible silk webbing. Over time, the leaves fade, turn brown, and occasionally fall off.

Life cycle and habits: The life cycle of the carmine spider mite typically takes one week from egg to adult. The entire year is filled with this mite in all of its stages. When it’s hot and dry outside, reproduction thrives. Round, glossy, straw-colored eggs hatch in three days. They have a diameter of barely around 1/254 inch. They are either attached to the silken webs that the adults have spun or are placed singly on the underside of the leaf surface. Larvae feature three pairs of legs, are pinkish in color, and are slightly larger than eggs. This phase only lasts a short while, maybe a day. The protonymph and deutonymph are the two nymphal phases. In comparison to the larval stage, the nymphal stage is slightly larger, reddish or greenish, and has four pairs of legs. About 4 days pass during this nymphal stage. Female adults are roughly 1/50 inch long, reddish, and oval in shape. The males are wedge-shaped and slightly smaller. On either side of their largely colorless bodies, they have a black patch. 200 eggs can be laid by the adult female during her 24-day lifespan.