Pest profile

Sixspotted Spider Mite

Eotetranychus sexmaculatus · Trombidiformes: Tetranychidae[3]

The sixspotted spider mite is a major pest of plumeria and occasionally of avocado, citrus and other tropical plants.[1]

No licensed photo of this species is available yet; the identification notes below describe what to look for.

How to identify it

  • Adults are yellow-orange and about the size of a printed period; you need magnification to see them.[1]
  • Signs include a yellow stripe along the midrib, bronzing, blistering and webbing between the midrib and leaf surface.[1]

Look-alikes

Look-alikeHow to tell them apart
Twospotted and Pacific spider mitesThese also deform and bronze plumeria leaves, but haven't been noted to cause blistering or dead spots.[1]

Where it lives

UC IPM covers it on container plumeria in California homes and gardens, where plants move indoors in winter.[1]

US map: public records from 1 state since 1990 (GBIF).

Biology and life cycle

Females overwinter in leaf litter, potting soil and stem cracks, then climb the stem in spring to feed and lay eggs.[1]

In summer, mites mature in 5 to 6 days in the Central Valley and 8 to 12 days in coastal Southern California.[1]

Damage and signs

  • Feeding deforms early growth, damages bloom clusters, causes early leaf drop and can make shoot tips drop off.[1]

Health risk

It feeds on plants; UC IPM mentions no risk to people.[1]

Control

Prevention

Check plants closely from late fall to early spring, avoid water stress, and wrap stems with double-sided tape to stop mites climbing.[1]

Biological control

Predatory mites, the spider mite destroyer lady beetle, lacewings and sixspotted thrips all feed on them.[1]

Pesticides

Light horticultural oil with full coverage controls them; insecticidal soap works but may need repeats. Treat before moving plants indoors.[1]

More from the research literature

A 2023 pest categorisation by the European Food Safety Authority's plant health panel notes that the mite is native to North America and has spread to Asia and Oceania, that it feeds on more than 50 hosts in 20 plant families, including citrus, avocado, grape, Ficus and roses, and that in California and New Zealand it can breed continuously on evergreen hosts.[2]

Common questions

Why are my plumeria leaves blistered with a yellow stripe?
Sixspotted spider mites cause blistering and a yellow stripe down the midrib.[1]
Should I treat a few mites on plumeria?
Yes; UC IPM says leaving any population leads to leaf and tip loss and no blooms.[1]

Sources

  1. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Sixspotted Spider Mite on Plumeria (Pest Notes).” ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/sixspotted-spider-mite-on-plumeria/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. Peer-reviewed literature (PubMed), “Pest categorisation of Eotetranychus sexmaculatus (EFSA Panel on Plant Health, EFSA Journal, 2023).” pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37009445/ (accessed 2026-10-15)
  3. iNaturalist, “Eotetranychus sexmaculatus taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/409825 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-15. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.