Three species of pest mites are found in cotton in NSW and Qld: the two spotted mite, Tetranychus urticae, the bean mite, T. ludenli, and the strawberry mite, T. lambi. Of these T. urticae is the major pest, and has a level of resistance to the two organo-phosphate miticides currently used in cotton. Most growers apply between 1-3 expensive sprays ($20 - $40/ha) specifically to control mites each season. Mites can often be found in seedling cotton, but as the cotton undergoes a phase of rapid growth in November and December mites usually become scarce until mid-late January when mite numbers again increase.