The spider mite Schizotetranychus nanjingensis Ma & Yuan is a major pest on the giant bamboo ( Phyllostachys pubscens ) in Fujian, China. This species constructs nests with very dense web roofing on the underside of bamboo leaves. Immatures feed and develop inside the nests and could not develop/survive if nests were damaged. Egg hatchability fell between 81–100% at 22–30°C and averaged only 33% at 35°C. After reaching deutonymphal stage (absent in males), some females moved out of their parent's nest to build their own on the same leaf or other leaves nearby. Durations of immature stages decreased with increasing temperature within the range of 15–29°. Development from eggs to adults took on average two weeks at 29°C. The cumulative effective temperature for egg-adult period was on average 196 degree days. After mating, females actively fed for 5–6 days before oviposition and the egg-egg generation time was 24–25 days at 24–26°C. Gravid females continued to feed and strengthen the nest to 5–6 layers of silk, under which they normally lay one egg per day or 2–3 eggs every other day. Fecundity was normally 30–35 eggs per female.