Gorse Spider Mite

Tetranychus lintearius, the gorse spider mite, is a species of spider mite. It is used as an agent of biological pest control on common gorse, a noxious weed in some countries.

The adult mite is half a millimeter long and bright red. It lives in colonies in a shelter of spun silk spanning many branch tips. Infested plants are easily identifiable by these cobweb-like sheets of silk, which can grow quite large. The female lays one to four eggs per day during her three- to four-week adult lifespan. The tiny nymph is small enough to disperse on the wind during its first stage. Those that stay behind populate the colony as it expands.