New observations concerning the biology of the genus Hericia are provided, as well as a discussion of past observations from the literature. A new species, Hericia janehenleyi, is described and illustrated from adults, phoretic deutonymphs and non-phoretic deutonymphs collected from fermenting sap flux on oak trees (Quercus spp.) in eastern Virginia, U.S.A. Deutonymphs are phoretic on the sap flux inhabiting beetle Glischrochilus obtusus (Say) (Coleoptera, Nitidulidae).

Tetranychus turkestani collected in Ahwaz, Iran, was reared on cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), green gram (Vigna radiata) and pinto bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) at 25 and 30°C. Data were collected on preimaginal developmental period, preimaginal mortality, adult longevity and fecundity. Mean developmental periods (days) were 7.0–12.1 on cowpea, 6.9–11.7 on green gram and 6.7–10.8 on pinto bean. Major mortality occurred during the nymphal stage, followed by larval and egg stages. Immature mortality was 18.6–21.6% on cowpea, 11.6–28.5% on green gram and 38.3–42.1% on pinto bean. Adult longevity was greater on cowpea than green gram and pinto bean, greater for females than males, and decreased with increasing temperature. Mean total fecundity ranged from 36.3–90.5 eggs/female. Sex ratio ranged from 0.8–0.91 (female). The intrinsic rate of natural increase (r_m) was 0.23–0.32 on cowpea, 0.24–0.28 on green gram, and 0.19–0.27 on pinto bean. Generation times decreased from 16.3–10.2 days with increasing temperature.

Crude methanol, dichloromethane and hexane extracts obtained from the flowers of clove, Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M. Perry, bark of cinnamon, Cinnamomum bejolghota (Buch.-Ham.) Sweet, rhizome of sweet flag, Acorus calamus L. and seed of black piper, Piper nigrum L., were tested against the mushroom mites Luciaphorus perniciosus Rack and Formicomotes heteromorphus Magowski. A contact method with a completely randomize design was employed. Clove and cinnamon extracts of 125 µg/cm² caused 88.7–100% mortality of both mites. Dichloromethane extracts of clove and cinnamon showed the highest toxicity against L. perniciosus and F. heteromorphus with LD₅₀ values of 34.97 and 20.44 µg/cm², respectively. Methanol extracts of sweet flag and black pepper (125 µg/cm²) caused 70–79% L. perniciosus and F. heteromorphus mortalities. Hexane and dichloromethane sweet flag extracts were more toxic to L. perniciosus than the methanol extract of the same plant. Dichloromethane and hexane black pepper crude extracts and methanol extract of sweet flag caused less than 50% L. perniciosus mortality.

Three females and three nymphs of Ixodes downsi Kohls, 1957 were collected in guano deposited in Guácharos Cave, State of Monagas, Venezuela. The cave is inhabited by bats and oilbirds (Steatornis caripensis Humboldt) and is frequented by carnivores. Previous records of this tick are from Trinidad & Tobago and Peru, and it is unclear whether the principal hosts are Chiroptera or Aves. The present record of I. downsi in Venezuela does not provide new host data but expands this tick's known range, which is probably greater than collections indicate. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S mitochondrial rDNA sequences of Ixodes species from the Neotropical Zoogeographic Region, plus two Australian Ixodes and three argasids, were conducted to clarify the systematic position of I. downsi. The analyses showed an unexpected relationship with I. (Multidentatus) auritulus Neumann, 1904. However, as with other Neotropical Ixodes, the subgeneric status of I. downsi remains undetermined.

Tick surveys were conducted during April 2007 in Jeju Province and along the southern coast of Gyeongsangnam and Jeollanam Provinces, Republic of Korea, to assess tick species composition and distribution, and to study tick habitat associations. A total of 58, 19, and 25 sites were surveyed in Jeju, Gyeongsangnam, and Jeollanam Provinces, respectively. Surveys were conducted using tick drags through various vegetative habitats. Habitat descriptions were recorded for each 10-m drag and analyzed to determine habitat associations for each collected species. During this survey, Haemaphysalis (Ornithophysalis) phasiana Saito, Hoogstraal and Wassef was collected at 10 sites (144 nymphs) in Jeju Province and at six sites (70 nymphs and 2 females) in Jeollanam Province (new records for both provinces), but was not collected at the 19 survey sites in Gyeongsangnam Province. Haemaphysalis phasiana was collected at elevations of 5–245 m and in or near areas that had a marked presence of pine trees as well as dry or green grasses, other herbaceous vegetation, and deciduous understory.

The names Alliphis siculus (Oudemans) and A. halleri (G. & R. Canestrini) (Acari: Eviphididae) have been widely used for mites that are common in agricultural soils and phoretic on dung beetles, especially in Europe. These names have sometimes been regarded as synonyms. However, examination of the type specimens of A. siculus showed that this species has often been misidentified. These two species differ in many ways, especially in characters of the dorsal idiosomal chaetotaxy. Both species are here re-described, and details are provided of how they may be distinguished, most easily by the lengths of the setae on the dorsal shield. Alliphis halleri is widespread in Europe, North Africa, and the United States, while A. siculus is known only from Italy.

Aegyptobia iranensis n. sp. is described and illustrated based on females collected from Juniperus spp. leaves from Iran.

The hitherto unknown male of the marine water mite Pontarachna australis Smit, 2003 (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Pontarachnidae) is described and recorded from Taiwan for the first time. Another marine water mite, Litarachna denhami (Lohmann, 1909) is recorded from India and South Korea for the first time; this species record also represents the first record of the Pontarachnidae in these countries.

The larva of Allothrombium neapolitanum Oudemans, 1910 is redescribed. This species, previously only known from Italy and Switzerland, is recorded for the first time from Iran. This paper presents new morphological data to augment the descriptions of A. neapolitanum. The distribution of Allothrombium larvae is summarised. Host records of larval Allothrombium mites, whenever known, are also given.