In order to evaluate the effect of intercropping tea plants with several common economic crops on population density and spatial distribution patterns of an important tea pest, the tea green leafhopper \[Empoasca vitis (Gothe)\] and its key araneid natural enemies, pure Wuniuzao tea cultivar plantation, Wuniuzao tea-citrus, Wuniuzao tea-waxberry, Wuniuzao tea-snake gourd and Anjibaicha tea-snake gourd intercropping plantations were chosen. The abundances of the leafhopper and the araneids within upper, middle and lower layers of tea clumps in each type of the tea plantation were investigated, from early September of 2007 to late December of 2008 at an interval of ten days. The results showed that: (1) the population density of the leafhopper and the individual numbers of the araneids were significantly higher in the intercropped tea plantations than those in the pure tea plantations; (2) the species richness of the araneids was also higher in the intercropped tea plantations than in the control; (3) the spatial distribution patterns of the leafhopper and the araneid individuals within upper, middle and lower layers of the tea clumps differed evidently between the intercropped tea plantations and the pure tea plantation; (4) the tender tea shoots in the upper layer of tea clumps are the major raw materials for top quality tea processing, and about 54.16% of the leafhoppers were detected in the upper layer of tea clumps in the pure tea plantation, which was significantly higher than that in the intercropped plantations; moreover, the functional and numerical responses of the araneids to the pest in the intercropped plantations during population peak of the leafhopper was quicker than in pure tea plantation; (5) the intercropping resulted in both the overall profit increase and the reduction in pest control operations. We conclude that intercropping tea with other crops may (1) regulate population density and spatial distribution patterns of the leafhopper and the araneids to some extent; (2) reduce the production loss caused by the leafhopper′s damages, and reinforce the natural control potential against the leafhopper.