The twospotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) is, across the Cotton Belt, the most common spider mite that infests cotton. Other Tetranychus species that may infest cotton are the carmine, strawberry, desert and Pacific spider mite. In recent years, the frequency of twospotted spider mite infestations in cotton, particularly in the early season, has increased in the Midsouth and Southeast. This increase can be attributed, in part, to 1) high adoption of non-miticidal seed treatments for thrips control, and 2) use of minimum-till production practices which allow alternate weed hosts to persist in fields up to and beyond planting. However, environmental factors such as dry weather, the incidence of fungal pathogens (e.g., Neozygites floridana) that are favored by high humidity, and the disruptive use of some insecticides also influence spider mite populations. Despite serious outbreaks that occurred during the 2005 growing season in parts of Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee and Louisiana, significant problems with this pest will likely continue only sporadically and somewhat unpredictably. The economic damage caused by spider mites, and the duration of infestation, is influenced by many factors. Thus, true treatment thresholds are dynamic and difficult to define. Choosing an appropriate miticide is also challenging because costs vary considerably, and efficacy is influenced by the environment and the presence of beneficial insects and pathogens. In 2005, early-season spider mites were best controlled by true miticide products including Kelthane, Comite, Zephyr, Zeal and Oberon. Insecticides such as bifenthrin (Capture or Discipline) and dimethoate did not provide adequate control. This was a consistent result of replicated trials in Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee. Unlike some areas of the Far West, spider mite resistance to traditional chemistries such as Kelthane is not widely established in the Midsouth and Southeast. Because true miticides are infrequently used in this area, a need for rotating chemistries as a resistance management tool is not well documented.