This mite spends the winter in the egg stage attached to host plants. The eggs hatch in March to April and the mites can complete development in 3 to 4 weeks. If summer temperatures are constantly over 90 F, this mite becomes dormant and lays resting eggs. These eggs hatch and the adults resume activity in the fall when cooler
temperatures return.
Conifers often react slowly to the feeding of this mite. Yellowing and bronzing of the needles may not become apparent until the heat of the summer, even though the damaging feeding may have occurred the previous fall and spring.
