Red Mite Lifecycle
Within just 7-10 days (depending on conditions) a red mite egg can hatch into a larva, then protonymph, deutonymph and finally adult, and lay more eggs. Larvae only have six legs and do not feed, whereas the nymphal stages and adults have eight legs and will feed on host blood. Males only feed occasionally.
When attached to a host, red mites feed every 2 to 4 nights and for up to an hour.
The brevity of this cycle results in explosive growth: assuming an average 8 eggs per clutch, an uncontrolled infestation would result in over 244 Million mites within just 3 months!
The lifecycle is the reason why we recommend to use Ultimite UltiSpray every 5-8 days, as this will catch out red mites that have recently hatched. However, you can spray mites whenever you see them – there is no withdrawal period or fear for building resistance, as UltiSpray acts mechanically and instantly, with clearly visible results.