| Oligonychus pratensis | |
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| O. pratensis adult | |
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| Species: | O. pratensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Oligonychus pratensis (Banks 1912) | |
Oligonychus pratensis, the Banks grass mite, is a species of mite in the spider mite family. [1] [2] They are considered a pest and often infest corn and turf grasses. [1]
Adult Banks grass mites range from green to brown in colour and are approximately 1/32 of an inch (~0.79 mm) in length. [1] On either side of the body is a row of brown/reddish-brown spots, the number and position of which can be used to distinguish O. pratensis from the related two-spotted spider mite ( Tetranychus urticae ). [1]
This species can be distinguished from other Oligonychus by features such as the pattern of striation on the body, the setae on the legs and the shape of the male genitalia. [3]
The life cycle of Banks grass mite comprises the stages: egg, larva, protonymph, deutonymph and adult. [1] [3]
Eggs are laid on the underside of leaves and (in spring and summer conditions) hatch 3-10 days later. The mites develop rapidly, with one generation potentially taking as few as 10 days. All life stages may occur on the same leaf of a plant at once, either out in the open or beneath protective silk webbing. During the winter, female mites and eggs overwinter in sheltered sites such as plant debris. [1]
Like other spider mites, Oligonychus pratensis feeds by piercing plant cells to suck out the liquid within. Mites initially feed on lower leaves of plants and then move upward. Their feeding creates chlorotic spots on leaves, with severe cases resulting in leaf dieback or fruit that are undersized or fail to form. Plants suffering from water stress are especially vulnerable to O. pratensis. [1]
The host plant range includes corn, turf grasses, [1] sorghum [4] and dates. [5]
Oligonychus pratensis can be detected by looking for the mites themselves (which appear as small moving dots), their webbing or their feeding damage on plants. Mite monitoring should be done weekly when damage is suspected. [1]
Miticides can be used to control O. pratensis. Their efficacy differs between this species and T. urticae, so it is important to distinguish these two species. [1]
Not allowing plants to become water-stressed will reduce their vulnerability to mites. [1] Drought-tolerant hybrid varieties of corn, when irrigated with suboptimal amounts of water, have lower mite populations than drought-susceptible corn under the same conditions. [6]
Plant cultivars that are efficient at metabolising nitrogen have lower mite populations than those with poorer efficiency. [4]
A range of natural enemies prey on O. pratensis. These include phytoseiid mites ( Amblyseius scyphus , several species of Neoseiulus , Phytoseiulus persimilis ), the spider Dictyna consulta , the predatory gall midge Feltiella macgregori , the convergent lady beetle Hippodamia convergens and the insidious flower bug Orius insidiosus . It can also be infected by the fungal pathogen Neozygites adjarica . [7]
This species occurs in North America, South America and Africa. [2] [7]
Mites are small arachnids. Mites span two large orders of arachnids, the Acariformes and the Parasitiformes, which were historically grouped together in the subclass Acari. However, most recent genetic analyses do not recover the two as each other's closest relative within Arachnida, rendering the group non-monophyletic. Most mites are tiny, less than 1 mm (0.04 in) in length, and have a simple, unsegmented body plan. The small size of most species makes them easily overlooked; some species live in water, many live in soil as decomposers, others live on plants, sometimes creating galls, while others are predators or parasites. This last type includes the commercially destructive Varroa parasite of honey bees, as well as scabies mites of humans. Most species are harmless to humans, but a few are associated with allergies or may transmit diseases.
Tetranychus urticae is a species of plant-feeding mite generally considered to be a pest. It is the most widely known member of the family Tetranychidae or spider mites. Its genome was fully sequenced in 2011, and was the first genome sequence from any chelicerate.
Spider mites are members of the Tetranychidae family, which includes about 1,200 species. They are part of the subclass Acari (mites). Spider mites generally live on the undersides of leaves of plants, where they may spin protective silk webs, and can cause damage by puncturing the plant cells to feed. Spider mites are known to feed on several hundred species of plants.
The Acariformes, also known as the Actinotrichida, are the more diverse of the two superorders of mites. Over 32,000 described species are found in 351 families, with an estimated total of 440,000 to 929,000 species, including undescribed species.
Sorghum bicolor, commonly called sorghum and also known as great millet, broomcorn, guinea corn, durra, imphee, jowar, or milo, is a species in the grass genus Sorghum cultivated for its grain. The grain is used for food for humans; the plant is used for animal feed and ethanol production. Sorghum originated in Africa, and is now cultivated widely in tropical and subtropical regions.
The Phytoseiidae are a family of mites which feed on thrips and other mite species. They are often used as a biological control agent for managing mite pests. Because of their usefulness as biological control agents, interest in Phytoseiidae has steadily increased over the past century. Public awareness of the biological control potential of invertebrates has been growing, though mainly in the US and Europe. In 1950, there were 34 known species. Today, there are 2,731 documented species organized in 90 genera and three subfamilies.
Feltiella acarisuga is a species of predatory gall midges which will feed on various species of spider mites. It is especially common when spider mites occur in colonies. It requires a high spider mite density and high humidities to become established.
Panonychus ulmi, the European red mite, is a species of mite which is a major agricultural pest of fruit trees. It has a high reproductive rate, a short generation time and produces many broods in a year, all of which contribute to its pest status. It has a cosmopolitan distribution, and a very wide host range, having been found on the following plants:
Prostigmata is a suborder of mites belonging to the order Trombidiformes, which contains the "sucking" members of the "true mites" (Acariformes).
Raphignathoidea is a superfamily of the Acari (mite) order Trombidiformes, comprising 1087 species in 62 genera and 12 families.
Raoiella indica, commonly known as the red palm mite, is a species of mite belonging to the family Tenuipalpidae. A pest of several species of palm in the Middle East and South East Asia, it is now becoming established throughout the Caribbean. The invasion of this species is the biggest mite explosion ever observed in the Americas.
Orius insidiosus, common name the insidious flower bug, is a species of minute pirate bug, a predatory insect in the order Hemiptera. They are considered beneficial, as they feed on small pest arthropods and their eggs. They are mass-reared for use in the biological control of thrips.
Neoseiulus californicus is a predatory mite that feeds on Tetranychid mites. This species was first described on lemons from California under the name Typhlodromus californicus in 1954.
Oligonychus sacchari, the sugarcane mite, yellow mite or sugarcane yellow mite, is a species of mite.
Bryobia is a genus of mites in the spider mite family, Tetranychidae. The taxonomy of the genus is difficult. The genus has been revised several times. It is difficult to distinguish these tiny species from each other on the basis of morphological characters, and there is little agreement on which characteristics are of importance. Also, species can be variable in morphology. Over 130 species have been described, but many of the names are likely synonyms.
Oligonychus is a genus of mites in the family Tetranychidae, the spider mites. Many members of this genus are familiar pests of plants. There are about 200 described species.
Oligonychus ununguis, the spruce spider mite, is a globally widespread pest of spruce. Though not particularly important in the forest, it has been bothersome on planted spruce in the Prairie Provinces, and is considered one of the most important pests of spruce plantations in Ontario. As well, ornamental specimens of spruce and most other conifers throughout the range often suffer damage. The pest is barely visible without the aid of a magnifier and is rarely noticed until discoloured foliage is found on an affected tree. To check for the presence of mites, sharply jar suspected foliage over a piece of white paper, and watch for movement of tiny objects. If a red stain appears when the objects are smeared against the paper, the probability is high that spider mites are present.
Tebufenpyrad is an insecticide and acaricide widely used in greenhouses. It is a white solid chemical with a slight aromatic smell. It is soluble in water and also in organic solvents.
Magdalena Kathrina Petronella Smith Meyer was a South African acarologist who was regarded as a world authority on plant-feeding mites of agricultural importance and was known as the "mother of red-spider mites of the world". She described more than 700 new species and 25 new genera, mostly of mites of agricultural importance. Meyer was involved in the promotion of biological control of mites using predatory mites, spiders and insects.