Going Asexual: A Survey of Mites of the Genus (Acari: Acaridae) Revealing a Large Number of New Parthenogenetic Species in the Holarctic Region.

Mites of the genus (Acari: Acaridae) are distributed worldwide; they inhabit concealed habitats and include several beneficial and economically important species. However, species identification is difficult because many species are poorly described or delimited and their phoretic stages are unknown or uncorrelated. Furthermore, is interesting because it includes entirely asexual (parthenogenetic) species.

Modelling the interaction between a pest (Aculops lycopersici), two predators (Pronematus ubiquitus and Macrolophus pygmaeus) and climate variables: a 3-year greenhouse study in a tomato crop.

Background: The tomato russet mite, Aculops lycopersici, is a major pest in tomato crops, causing damage through leaf and stem browning, defoliation and russeting of fruit. Biological control of this mite on tomato plants is difficult. While several phytoseiid mites feed on the pest, they cannot survive, move, or reproduce on tomato plants due to the presence of glandular trichomes.

Why are phytoseiid predatory mites not effectively controlling Echinothrips americanus?

The poinsettia thrips, Echinothrips americanus Morgan (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), is a key pest of various ornamental and vegetable greenhouse crops. As current biological control alternatives lack efficiency, applying chemicals remains the dominant control strategy, thereby heavily disturbing the biocontrol-based integrated management of other pests. For a range of other thrips pests, phytoseiid predatory mites have shown to be effective biocontrol agents, being able to overcome the thrips' physical and chemical defense armory.

Evaluation of Phytoseiid and Iolinid Mites for Biological Control of the Tomato Russet Mite (Acari: Eriophyidae).

Our search for a suitable biological agent to control the tomato russet mite (TRM), , was initiated in 2013. , and showed a promising pest reduction potential in a curative control strategy. Although these beneficials had a low survival on tomato and were not able to eradicate the pest, plants did not present typical TRM damage.