Mites have lately emerged as economically important pests of stored products. Recently, addition of natural origin compounds individually or as a combination with predators have provided a considerable value for controlling these pests. In this study, the efficacy of the bacterium-derived pesticides, spinosad and spinetoram, and the combination of each of them with the predator Cheyletus malaccensis Oudemans was evaluated against two storage mite pests, Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) and Aleuroglyphus ovatus (Troupeau) under optimal abiotic conditions for pest development. After 21d, the terminal density was estimated for both astigmatid mite species exposed to diet (experiment I) treated with either spinosad or spinetoram (concentrations range of 0.01-2 ppm). Estimation was also done with diet (experiment II) treated with either spinosad or spinetoram (0.5 ppm) and/or the predator at initial predator/prey ratio (0.02). The density of predator was also determined after 21 days. Application of spinosyns significantly reduced population of T. putrescentiae and A. ovatus. The reduction potential increased with increasing concentration. Complete control of T. putrescentiae and A. ovatus was achieved by the application of spinosad at 1 and 2 ppm, respectively. As measured by rC₅₀ and rC₉₀ (concentration for 50% and 90% suppress of population in comparison to control), spinosad was more toxic to T. putrescentiae and A. ovatus than spinetoram. Furthermore, T. putrescentiae was more susceptible to spinosad than A. ovatus. Conversely, it was less susceptible to spinetoram than A. ovatus. The populations of both mite species were successfully suppressed by the sole application of C. malaccensis. Although the density of predatory mites was not affected by the presence of 0.5 ppm spinosad, it was almost eradicated by spinetoram at 0.5 ppm. A combination of spinosad at 0.5 ppm with two individuals of C. malaccensis mites (ratio 0.02) outperformed spinosad used alone at the same former concentration in reduction efficiency of the pest populations by 12% for T. putrescentiae and 25% for A. ovatus within 21 days.

Two new species of the oribatid mite family Galumnidae are described from Ecuador. Galumna napoensissp. nov. differs from Galumna nonoensisBalogh, 1988 by the pointed rostrum and rostral setae distinctly longer than rostral setae, and the presence of tubercles posterior to dorsosejugal suture. Pergalumna finnamoreisp. nov. differs from Pergalumna lenticulataErmilov & Friedrich, 2016 by the pointed rostrum, long interlamellar setae, stria forming reticulate pattern in anterior parts of prodorsum, notogaster and pteromorphs, rostral setae distinctly longer than rostral setae, localization of porose area Aa between la and lm, postanal porose area and reticulate epimere I, and the absence of foveoles on notogaster, pteromorphs and in anogenital region.

Studies on obligatory, ectoparasitic mites of the family Syringophilidae associated with birds in Germany were scarce and scattered over the time. This paper summarizes current knowledge of German syringophilid fauna. We present new host and locality records and describe two new species: Niglarobia lapponicasp. nov. and Charadriineopicobia ristowisp. nov. from the quill feathers of bar-tailed godwit Limosa lapponica (Linnaeus) (Scolopacidae).

A new species, Demodex plecotisp. nov. (Acariformes: Demodecidae), is described based on adult and immature stages from the brown long-eared bat Plecotus auritus (Linnaeus, 1758) in Poland. The mites were found in 100% of the examined bat individuals, with a mean intensity of 23.5 parasites per host. Demodex plecotisp. nov. was observed only in the hairless body regions, were the skin was membranous, thin and delicate.

A new oribatid mite species of the genus KunstidamaeusMiko, 2006 (Oribatida, Damaeidae) is described from Taiwan, based on adult and tritonymphal instar; Kunstidamaeus yilanensissp. nov. differs from similar damaeid species by the long and flagellate interlamellar, exobothridial and some epimeral setae (3c, 4c, 4d), and the presence of prodorsal tubercles Da, Ba and La, prodorsal enantiophyses and ventrosejugal tubercles. Four Asian species, originally described as species of EpidamaeusBulanova-Zachvatkina, 1957, are transferred to the genus Kunstidamaeus: K. fragilis (Enami & Fujikawa, 1989) comb. nov., K. parayunnanensis (Ermilov & Kalúz, 2013) comb. nov., K. verrucatus (Enami & Fujikawa, 1989) comb. nov., K. yunnanensis (Enami, Aoki & Hu, 1994) comb. nov.

Amblyseius tsugawai is a phytoseiid species distributed in Asia. In the present study, laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate its preference to prey stages when feeding on Tetranychus urticae and Bemisia tabaci, to evaluate its development and reproduction, and to estimate its life table parameters on each of the two prey species. Our results indicate that A. tsugawai shows preference to larvae of T. urticae, and to eggs of B. tabaci. When the two preferred stages were provided together, A. tsugawai randomly selected its prey. No significant difference in developmental times of A. tsugawai was observed when reared on T. urticae (6.75 days) and B. tabaci (7.05 days). In contrast, cumulative fecundity of A. tsugawai was only 14.6% when reared on B. tabaci (4.6 eggs/female) than on T. urticae (31.5 eggs/female). Impact of prey for both females and males on reproduction were also observed. Comparing to the treatment when both parents were reared on T. urticae, A. tsugawai fecundity was reduced by ca. 48.2% when the male was reared on B. tabaci, and was reduced by 86.5% and 88.8% when the female or both parents were reared on B. tabaci, respectively. Amblyseius tsugawai is the first indigenous phytoseiid species of China to show a positive intrinsic rate of population increase (0.013) when reared on B. tabaci as the only prey. The potential of A. tsugawai in greenhouse whitefly control is discussed.

A new feather mite species of the genus MicrospalaxMégnin & Trouessart, 1884 (Alloptidae: Microspalacinae) is described from the Atlantic petrel, Pterodroma incerta (Schlegel, 1863), in Brazil. Males of M. atlanticus sp. nov. differ from M. pterodromaeDubinin, 1949 mostly by the wider opisthogastric shields and setae ps3 inserted at posterior third of that shield. This is the first representative of the genus described from Brazil, and the first feather mite described from a procellariiform bird in the country. A key to males of Microspalax species is presented.

Mosquitoes transmit a wide range of vector-borne diseases to humans and animal. Due to the increase in insecticide resistance, there is a need for novel mosquito vector control programs, including biocontrol. Some water mite larvae, such as those of Arrenurus genus, act as parasites of mosquitoes. Mosquito larvae, pupae and adults were collected from three locations in Amol County, Iran by dipping and hand-catch collection methods, from May to late September 2015. Then mites were removed from mosquitoes and identified to genus level using valid identification keys. A total of 873 adults of anopheline mosquitoes belonging to three species (Anopheles maculipennis s.lat., An. pseudopictus and An. hyrcanus) were collected. We only found Arrenurus sp. mites. From 873 anopheline mosquitoes captured, 11% were parasitized by 151 mites, with a mean rate of 1.59, ranging from 1 to 14. Parasitism was higher in lowlands. Water mites, as biocontrol agents of vectors, could impact fecundity, fertility and induce other harms on host. As this study is the first research on water mite parasitism on mosquitoes in Iran, more detailed studies are needed to increase our knowledge on biology and ecology of water mites parasitizing mosquitoes in Amol and other areas in Caspian sea region in Iran.

Six new chigger mite species were described from rodents of South Africa: Ascoschoengastia ueckermannisp. nov.,Schoutedenichia horakisp. nov.,Herpetacarus octosetosussp. nov.,Herpetacarus decasetosussp. nov.,Microtrombicula graphiurisp. nov. and Trombicula walkeraesp. nov. The genus Trombicula Berlese, 1905 sensu stricto, which is known from South Asia and Australia, is recorded on the African continent for the first time. Two new species of Herpetacarus Vercammen-Grandjean, 1960 present an example of closely related sympatric chigger species that occur on the same host individual.

Neoseiulus bicaudus (Wainstein) is a natural enemy of spider mite and thrip and also a potential biocontrol agent for Tetranychus turkestani (Tetranychidae). Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) is an important alternative prey of N. bicaudus for mass rearing. We aimed to determine whether previous long-term feeding history, rearing on alternative prey versus target prey affected the performance of N. bicaudus. Therefore, the prey preference and functional response of predatory mites were compared between three strains: N. bicaudus fed on T. turkestani (TTS); N. bicaudus fed on T. putrescentiae (TPS); and N. bicaudus re-adapted from T. putrescentiae to T. turkestani (TPRS). When fed with the target prey, the preference rate and consumption of the TPS strain were significantly lower than the TTS strain. In addition, after 3-day-re-adaptation, the predatory mites (TPRS) increased their preference rate and consumption to target prey. The results suggested that re-adaptation before release could improve the ability of N. bicaudus to control its target prey.

Here we present the first records of Denheyernaxoides from North America: D. americanus, collected from coniferous litter, soil, and moss in Nova Scotia, Canada. These new records significantly expand the known distribution of the species. Denheyernaxoides americanus is redescribed to include Canadian specimens and to rectify discrepancies in the species' description identified during examination of the holotype. The deutonymph of D. americanus is also described. Sequences, representing a 658 bp region of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), were obtained from representative specimens collected in Canada. Comparison of these sequences with those from the Barcode of Life database (BOLD) suggests that a second species of Denheyernaxoides may occur in British Columbia, Canada. A revised key to world species of Denheyernaxoides is provided.

Living organism is exposed to the influence of various environmental conditions. These environmental conditions can trigger stress and compromise the fitness of the organism. As living organisms, phytoseiid mites are frequently exposed to a range of environmental stressors. In the present study, we attempted to explore the responses of the Neoseiulus baraki to environmental stress factors (temperature and humidity). Initially, the effect of different temperature (18–33 °C) and relative humidity (10–95%) levels on the survivorship of unfed N. baraki females was evaluated. Next, we estimated the walking parameters (distance traveled and average walking speed) with a computerized tracking system and we tested how N. baraki is constrained in their effective displacement by their ability to walk and survive in absence of food. The proportion of surviving N. baraki as well as mean survival time decreased significantly with increasing temperature. The opposite trend was observed to relative humidity. The distance covered by N. baraki reduced with increasing temperature (when only taking the temperature dependence of the survival time but not of walking speed and neither the tortuosity of the walking path) ranged from 550 m at 18 °C to 100 m at 33 °C. Under climatic conditions representative for the Tropics (27 °C and 75 % RH) N. baraki was able to survive up to 1.5 days (36 h) without feeding and covered 0.9 m in 10 min as displacement estimated by walking.

Brachytydeus maga Kuznetzov and Tydeus plumosus Karg are re-described as new records for Turkey. The male and tritonymph of the latter are also re-described. A key to all the tydeoid species of Turkey is given. The identity of the Turkish specimens of Tydeus californicus (Banks) is questioned.

Gorse, Ulex europaeus, is an invasive weed that has serious agricultural, economic and ecological impacts. Although various biological control agents have been released in New Zealand, these have showed no noticeable impact on gorse populations. One such agent, Sericothrips staphylinus, was introduced to New Zealand in 1990 and although laboratory impact studies indicated it was a highly promising gorse biological control agent, it has not been as effective as was hoped. We hypothesized this was due to predation by natural enemies. This study investigated the predation and oviposition rates of three phytoseiid mites (Amblydromalus limonicus, Amblyseius herbicolus, and Neoseiulus cucumeris) that have been found on gorse plants in New Zealand on three S. staphylinus stages (1^st instar larvae, 2^nd instar larvae, and prepupa) in both choice and non-choice conditions. In non-choice conditions, A. limonicus had the highest predation and oviposition rate across all three immature stages, and N. cucumeris had the lowest. Amblydromalus limonicus, A. herbicolus, and N. cucumeris all had their highest predation rate when consuming 1^st instar larvae, and their lowest predation rate when consuming prepupa. In the choice experiment, all three predatory mite species consumed their highest proportion of 1^st instar larvae, and their lowest proportion of prepupae. The oviposition rate of all three mite species in the choice experiment was similar to the oviposition rate when presented with 1^st instar larvae only. The results from this study confirm that A. limonicus, A. herbicolus, and N. cucumeris can predate and reproduce on S. staphylinus 1^st instar larvae, 2^nd instar larvae, and prepupa. This indicates that predation may be the reason why S. staphylinus is an ineffective biocontrol agent in New Zealand.