red spider

red spider, any of the plant-feeding mites of the family Tetranychidae (subclass Acari). Red spiders are a common pest on houseplants and agriculturally important plants, including the foliage and fruit of orchard trees.

The life cycle of the red spider from egg to adult takes about three weeks. Adult mites measure about 0.5 mm (about 0.02 inch) in length. Contrary to what their name suggests, all species are not red in colour; some are green, yellow, or orange. The mites are sometimes mistaken for small spiders because of their habit of spinning a loose silk webbing on infested plants. A heavy infestation can cause complete defoliation. Spider mites have become difficult to control because of their increasing resistance to pesticides. Various alternative methods of treating infestations have been investigated, the most effective of which involves the use of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus similis.