Spinach crown mites live in the topsoil; they thrive in a cool, moist environment. They feed mainly on partly decomposed organic material and on fungi living or decomposing material. They also feed on young spinach leaves which are close to the soils surface. Leaves become distorted which reduces the marketability of the crop.
The national distribution and identity of the mites in Australian spinach crops has not been confirmed. Effective, product based control methods are currently limited.