During the spring, these sap-sucking mites are yellow-green with a pair of darker markings, only developing an orange-red colour during the autumn/winter resting period.
Glasshouse red spider mite thrives in warm, dry conditions, typically a problem from March to October outdoors. In heated greenhouses, they may be a problem year-round.
Symptoms of a glasshouse red spider mite problem include a fine pale mottling on the upper surface of leaves as well as the presence of mites, white skin casts, and/or egg shells on the leaf undersides. In heavy infestations, a fine silk webbing can be seen on the plants, usually between leaflets or at leaf nodes. Leaves may lose most of their green colour and dry up or fall off. Severely damaged plants often weaken and die.