Tetranychus urticae (common names include red spider mite and two-spotted spider mite) is a species of plant-feeding mite generally considered to be a pest. It is the most widely known member of the family Tetranychidae or spider mites .

Tetranychus is a genus of spider mite. Tetranychus is one of the most economically important genera of mites, due to its high potential to destroy agriculture. [1] It contains 159 described species, the most significant of which is Tetranychus urticae. [1]

Spider mites are members of the family Tetranychidae, which includes about 1,200 species. [1] . They are part of the subclass Acari (mites). Spider mites generally live on the undersides of leaves of plants, where they may spin protective silk webs, and can cause damage by puncturing the plant cells to feed. [2] .

The most common spider mite, the twospotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae), has a cosmopolitan distribution and has been recorded on more than 300 species of plants, including all of the tree fruit crops, as well as small fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals.

Twospotted spider mites, Tetranychus urticae Koch. Photograph by University of Florida. The body of a spider mite is separated into two distinct parts: (1) the gnathosoma and (2) the idiosoma. The gnathosoma includes only the mouthparts. The idiosoma is the remainder of the body and the head, thorax and abdomen of insects.

Two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) is a pest of many crops throughout the world. Despite their small size, they are capable of very rapidly doing severe damage, due to their great reproductive capacity.

Tetranychus is probably the most economically important genus of mites, with member of the two-spotted mite complex, such as T. urticae (Koch) and T. cinnabarinus (Boisduval), attacking an extraordinary diversity of economically important plants throughout the world.

Tetranychus urticae (Fig. 4.9.1) is an arachnid. Unlike in insects, the arachnid body is divided into two distinct parts, gnathosoma, and idiosoma. The gnathosoma includes only the mouthparts, which consist of a pair of chelicerae and pedipalp, with mouth opening lying in between.

Spider mites (Acari: Tetranychidae) are dangerous pests of agricultural and ornamental crops, the most economically significant of them belonging to the genera Tetranychus, Eutetranychus, Oligonychus and Panonychus.

This datasheet on Tetranychus urticae covers Identity, Overview, Distribution, Dispersal, Hosts/Species Affected, Diagnosis, Biology & Ecology, Natural Enemies, Impacts, Prevention/Control, Further Information.