PLANT PROTECTION 1 – Pests, Diseases and Weeds

PLANT PROTECTION 1 – Pests, Diseases and Weeds
ALLIED PESTS - Mites
Class Arachnida, Order Acarina
NO. SPECIES
IN AUSTRALIA
SOME
DISTINCTIVE
FEATURES
.
LIFE CYCLE
Probably several hundred species in Australia and approximately 30,000 species
world wide. Most mites are too small to be seen with the naked eye, so that
identifying them as the cause of a plant problem can be difficult.
www.ento.csiro.au/education/allies/acarina.htm
Lucid keys Mites of Quarantine Importance, Mites in Soil, Invasive Mite Identification
www.lucidcentral.org/
ADULT Body 1. Two main body regions (fused head/thorax, abdomen).
However, the body appears to have just 1 body segment
Compare with insects which have 3 obvious body regions.
2. Small in size.
Mites - Up to 1mm in length, many are much smaller.
Ticks - Larger than mites.
2. No antennae or wings.
3. Simple eyes.
3. Globular or pear-shaped.
Legs
1. Usually 4 pairs (some nymphs have 3 pairs).
2. Eriophyid mites have only 2 pairs of legs.
NYMPH Usually similar to adults but smaller, some only have 3 pairs of legs.
There is a gradual metamorphosis – egg, nymph (several stages) and adult.
Twospotted
mite
(red spider)
Adults are about
0.5 mm long,
but are difficult
to see without
a hand lens
METHODS OF
FEEDING
ADULT All stages have piercing and sucking mouthparts. Mites feed on a
NYMPH variety of plants and animals, both living and dead.
Insects and allied pests - Mites (Arachnida, Acarina) 199