Association of Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) feeding and gold fleck damage on tomato fruit

► We investigated whether or not Tetranychus urticae would feed on tomato fruit. ► We showed that T. urticae will feed directly on tomato fruit. ► Damage caused by T. urticae feeding on tomato fruit appears as gold fleck. ► Severity of gold fleck can be related to T. urticae density.