Mites are the tiny organism belongs to the Acari group. The are very small invisible under naked eye. They causes significant losses in agriculture. So that proper identification is needed for best management practices. As they are very tiny, study of their bio ecology is very difficult. Sometimes damage symptoms of mites in plant are very much complex and confusing. In this slide all the identifying characters, classification of mites, their bio ecology and damage symptoms, predatory and other beneficial mites and management of phytophagous mites are briefly presented.

1. Sabyasachi Ray
Dept. of Agricultural entomology
Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya
Year- 2020

2. Mites are tiny arthropodan organisms belongs to the class Arachnida and sub class
acari(also known as acarina)
Mites are differed from their insect relatives by the presence of two body
regions (gnathosoma and idiosoma, in some cases these two are fused), adults with four
pairs of legs(only two pairs in Eriophyidae) and lack of antennae and wings
Mites are also differed from spiders as spiders posseses cephalothorax and abdomen
and mostly carnivorous feeding habit and they can be distinguished from ticks by the
absence of Haller’s organ and recurved teeth on hypostome.
Their body comprises of gnathosoma bearing mouthparts (paired chelicerae &
pedipalpi) and idiosoma which is divided into propodosoma ,metapodosoma and
opisthosoma.Propodosoma bears legI & II and metapodosoma bears leg III & IV.
Lifecycle consists of egg ,larva ,protonymph, deutonymph, tritonymph, and adult.
Mites are occupying every ecological niches like tropical rain forests, deserts, polar
region ,sand beach ,deep soil and aquatic habitats(Hydrachnida group).
The Mites

3. Phytophagous mites are important pest of agri and horticultural crops
Some are vector of viral diseases of plants
Some causes loss of stored product(Acarus siro)
Some are parasites of poultry birds and productive insects like honeybee
Parasitic and causes allergy and skin diseases.
Among beneficial group some are soil dweller & nutrient recycler and a wide
range of predators , predating on pest mites and soft bodied insects.
Importance of Mites

4. CLASSIFICATION (Kranz& Walter, 2009)
Subclass Acari
Superorder
Parasitiformes
Order
Opilioacarida
(Notostigmata)
Holothyrida
(Tetrastigmata)
Mesostigmata
(gamasida)
Ixodida
(Metastigmata)
Suborder
Sejina
Trigynaspida
Monogynaspida
Superorder
Acariformes
Trombidiformes
Sarcoptiformes
Sphaerolochida
Prostigmata
Suborder
Suborder
Endeostigmata
Cryptostigmata
or Oribatida
Phytophagous mites belongs to the families including Tetranychidae, Tenuipalpidae,
Tarsonemidae, Eriophyidae undr the suborder Prostigmata.
Important Predatory mites belongs to the families including Stigmaeidae, Cunaxidae,
Bdellidae, Cheyletidae, Tydidae, Anystidae ( suborder prostigmata) and Phytoseiidae
(suborder Mesostigmata) and soil mites comes under the order Oribatida.

5. LIFE CYCLE
Hot summer month with dry weather is highly congenial for rapid multiplication.Temperature
of 30-35°c and 40-60% RH is favourable for population build up.
Egg Larvae
Quiscent
protochrys
alis
Protonymph
Deutochrysalis
Deutonymph
Teliochrysalis
Adult
TETRANYCHID MITES OR SPIDER
MITES

6. Identifying characters
popularly known as spider mites as some of them can spin webs like spiders to cover
their colonies and generally they occur on the lower surface of leaf.
Fine needle-like chelicerae enclosed in stylophore (fusion of cheliceral bases).
 Pedipalp segmented, Terminal segment bears 6-7 setae(3tactile,3sensory,1spinneret).
Palpal thumbclaw complex composed of tibial claw & tarsal setae.
Dorsal propodosoma with 4 pairs of setae(V1,V2,Sc1,Sc2). Hysterosoma bears 8-13
pairs of setae arranged in different rows like dorsocentral(c1,d1,e1,f1,h1) dorso
sublateral (c2,d2,e2,f2,h2) and dorsolateral(c3,d3,e3,f3,h3).
Genital portion of female possesses characteristic wrinkles
Tarsi of legs I and II often have duplex setae and larvae with 3pairs of leg.
The pretarsus is furnished with 2 true claws and empodium. Claws may be provided
with tenent hairs.
Appearance of whitish specks on dorsal leaf surface.
Dispersal of mites through ballooning and crawling (5cm-6m/h)

7. Important species and genera in Tetranychidae
1.Bryobia : Commonly found on dicotylednous plants e.g. pear (B. prateiosa),
chrysanthemum (B. eharai) – Found on upper surface of leaves ; don't form heavy
webs (only nominal webbing)
2.Petrobia : Mostly on monocots e.g. wheat (P. latens)- dorsal surface,legs 1 are very
long Barley yellow streak mosaic virus (BaYSMV) is vectored by spider mite,
Petrobia latens. (Manjit Singh Dhooria)
3.Eutetranychus: Feed on citrus spp, orange, castor; broad host-range (E. orientalis) –
found on upper surface of leaves, very light webbing(Tagar, Plumeria,colocasia)
4.Oligonychus: Dorsal surface of both monocots and dicots (tea) e.g O. indicus –
maize, sorghum sugarcane,good web forming mites; O. mangiferus – upper surface
of leaves of jamun, pomegranate, grapes, eucalyptus, mango – abundant on dusty
leaves; O. coffeae on tea &coffee.

8. 5.Panonychus : On ventral surface of citrus (P. citri) and apple (P. ulmi) –
both in temperate areas, H.P., J.K.
6.Schizoteranychus : Ventral syrface of both dicots and monocots – S.
cajani (pigeonpea, dicot) ; S. andropogani (sugarcane,Rice)
7.Tetranychus : Most important pest of majority of dicots, e.g.Tetranychus
complex[T. urticae (broad host range), T. cinnabarinus (syn. T.urticae)-
broad host range, T. neocaledonicus- dicotylednous plants, ], T.ludeni -
South India, T. figiensis on coconut and arecanut.
Cont.

9. Tenuipalpid mites or false spider mites
 Identifying characters
 Dorsoventrally flattened and do not produced silk webbing on plants.
 Suture present between propodosoma and hysterosoma (Sejugal furrow).
 Pedipalp small, linear, simple, palpal tibia without spine like setae without
thumb-claw process.
 Propodosoma with 3 pairs of setae( V2,Sc1,Sc2) & 2 pairs of eye.
 Dorsal opisthosoma with max. 13 pairs of setae ( f1 & h3 absent).
 Tarsi legs I and II with apical 1 or 2 apical ω. No duplex setae, All tarsi bear
claws, tenent hairs.
 Transverse female genital apaerture often covered by plate (Trap door
system). Male adeagus with accessory appendages
 Feed on plant leaves, mostly on lowersurface near midrib and veins; on bark,
floral buds, leaf sheaths of grasses.Damage symptoms includingwhite or
grey spot,Yellow to bronzing, leaf curling and defoliation.

11. Important species and genera in Tenuipalpidae
1. Brevipalpus californicus (Banks) — Most important causes injury to
ornamentals, fruits particularly citrus spp. Cause of ‘leprosis’ of citrus
in Argentina and Florida. In India, it is a pest of tea and also in Ceylon
and Java.In Florida, because of toxins injected during feeding by
mites, leaves and fruits develop ‘Nail-head rust’ and when they feed
on twigs, stems and bark it produces symptoms of “Florida Scaly
bark’.
2. Brevipalpus deleoni — found on grape fruit, lime, guava,orange, but
not so impt.
4. B. obovatus impt. — On tea, in India also
5. B. phoenicis — On many hosts, broad host range, cosmopolitan, cause
serious damage in betelvine, Pointed gourd.
6. Larvacarus transitans — Causes ber leaf twig galls in Rajasthan
7. Raoiella indica — Areca palm in S. India.
8.Tenuipalpus punicae — Pest of pomegranate, pear, peaches —
considered to cause fruit cracking in anar’.
9. Virus diseases like citrus leprosis and passion fruit green spot virus
are vectored by false spider mites

12. Tarsonemid Mite or Broad Mite
 Identifying characters
 It includes representatives of plant parasitic on higher animals, fungus feeders and
spp of agricultural importance.
 Size is 300d, almost dorsoventrally flattened.
 Femal with one pair of prodorsal trihobothria
 Gnathosoma capsule like, palp reduced ,very clear sejugal apodeme,E& F segment
superimposed.
 Tegula between two leg IV.
 Leg 4 of female reduced without claws or empodium but with whip like seta and of
male strong stout terminatw in a claw.
 Modified male genital capsule for carrying pharate female.
 Male leg 4 modified for copulation
 Stylet weak, occur on apical portion feed from tender meristamtic tissue.
 Life stages including egg, larva, pharate nymph and adult.
 Hot & humid (30-32°c temp & 80-85% RH) weather favours population build up
 Curling, crumpling & twisting of apical leaves, premature fruit drop, stunted growth,
twisting of floral buds, fruits etc.

14. Important species and genera in Tarsonemidae
1.Steneotarsonemus ananas (host specific on pine
apple); S. bancrofti,S. laticeps on narcissus bulbs
2. Steneotarsonemus spinkae – Occur on rice ,
cryptic,avoided by farmers.
3. Steneotarsonemus furcatus- Rice, Coconut.
4.Acarapis woodi — Endoparasite, infests tracheal
passages of honeybees and causes ’Acarine disease
or ’Isle of Wight disease’ blockage in respiratory
pathways
5.Polyphagotarsonemus latus — Most impt.plant
feeder,also known as yellow tea mite/ broad
mite/tropical mite

15. •Polyphagous, broad host range
• Distributed throughout the tropics, in greenhouses in temperate regions,more
in comparatively hot and humid climate
• In India, its characteristic damage to chilli is referred to as' Murda disease’
and in potato as ‘Tambera’ disease’.
• Mites feed exclusively on lower surface, causing leaves to become rigid and
roll downwardly at margins. The lower leaf surfaces ultimately become
bronzed. Severely attacled plants wither & die. Infested leaves are more green
than normal due to toxins injected in the leaves. Necrosis of growing point
occurs.
In jute seed production hampered,reduces fibre qualityTossa (Olitorius) jute
suffers more than white (Capsularis) jute
Mites will frequently "hitch" a ride on White Fly and other insects.
Bio-Ecology

16. Eriophyoid Mites
 Identifying characters
 Idiosoma usually elongate, annulate, worm-like, very minute (length = 90 to 500 µm, avg =
180 µm long; 50 µm wide).
 Chelicerae are stylet-like, curved downwards, not arising from a stylophore.
 Palpi reduced, without a "thumb-claw" process. Three pedipalp setae: dorsal coxal seta (ep),
dorsal genual seta (d), and ventral subapical tarsal seta (v).
 Prodorsum with a dorsal shield bearing 0-5 setae.Frontal lobes: The prodorsal shield of most
eriophyoids has an anteromedian extension, usually called a ‘‘frontal lobe’’ .
 Basic setation of opisthosoma highly reduced, 7 or 8 pairs, apparently including 3-4 pairs of
"dorsals": subdorsal, c1, found in some Phytoptidae, lateral, c2, caudal, h2 and accessory, h1;
3 pairs of "ventrals": d, e, f; and 1 pair of "genitals", coxal seta 3a.
 All forms have four legs and identical setation throughout development.
 Males have one pair of small, cone shaped eugenital setae, with a variable apical knob or
point;
 Tarsi lack true claws; the empodium (“featherclaw”) is pad-like, with fused tenent hairs
forming rays. Tarsi I & II each with 1 curved, erect, rod-like solenidion (ω).

17. Life cycle with E, L, N, and Adult; prelarva and apparently, TN are absent.
Sex mechanism haplodiploid, females are inseminated by a
spermatophore.
Most are vagrant. Feeding causes specific damage symptoms like Rust(
rusty appearance due to high ppln.), Erenium ( patches of pile or hair on
leaf),Galls(complete or nearly complete encapsulation), Witches'
brooms(abnormal proliferation of lateral budsb& shoots behind apical
meristem),Leaf edge rolling , Blister patches (gain entry through stomata)
Dispersal through walking ,by standing on caudal setae and drifted and
through rainsplashes.
Bio-Ecology

18. Important species and genera in Eriophyoidea
1. Pink Tea Rust Mite (Acaphylla theae ) Occurs throughout South Asia and Indonesia. Injured
leaves become pale, leathery and veins and margins turn pinkish. the mite prefers Assam
varieties over Chinese varieties of tea.
2. The Purple Tea Mite; Ribbed Tea Mite (Calacarus carinatus) Badly infested leaves turn
bronze and both surfaces appear dusted. It cauqses more damage in Java than in India.
3. Pigeon Pea Rust Mite (Aceria cajani ):Transmit Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan) Sterility Virus in
India and elsewhere
4. Coconut Flower and Nut Mite (Aceria guerreronis ) Mobile mites Causes premature falling
of coconuts at the button stage of development. It has recently invaded Sri Lanka and
India.
5. Mango Bud Mite (Aceria mangiferae )Stunts and brooms twigs, causing bud proliferation of
mangoes (Mangifera indicae). It may transmit Mango Malformation
6. Wheat Curl Mite :Aceria tosichella
7.Garlic leaf curl Mite, Dry Bulb Mite (Aceria tulipae ): Attacks onion, tulip, garlic and other
bulbs (Liliaceae). Goes down into bulb sheathes. Transmits Onion Mosaic
11.Litchi erenium mite (A. litchi ) — pest on litchi in India, attacks tender leaves, fruits, buds
etc. and forms erineum.
12. Aceria tosichella - Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus (WSMV) and Wheat Spot Mosaic Viruses
13.Aceria ficus - Fig Mosaic Virus

20. Predatory mites
The mite those feed on pest mites, small insects and plant products (nectar, pollen) are known as
predatory mite. They depend on nectar, pollen during their non host period.
Many prostigmatid and mesostigmatid mites belong the predatory mites group.
Family Character
Stigmaeidae: They have thumb-claw complex. Propodosomal dorsal setae
are denoted by P1, P2, P3, P4. Dorsal opisthosomal setae L1,
L2, L3, L4. Stylet is piercing type and don’t move scissors
like, show dagger like movement.
Agistemus sp.,
Zetziella sp.,
Ladermuerella
sp.
Bdellidae: Snout is an extended structure of gnathosoma, Pedipalp with
elbow like structure,Tarsus of pedipalp ended 3 or 4 long seta
Bdella sp.
Cunaxidae: ‘Ambush mite’ i.e. jump on prey. Propodosomal dorsal setae
SC1, SC2 long whip like, sensory in nature.
Cunaxa sp.
Cheyletidae: Pertreme ‘M’ shaped,Pedipalp with comb like structure.
Dorsal opisthosomal seta or hysterosomal seta pummate or fan
like.
Chelitus sp.
Erythraeidae: Restless, agile mite. Body is covered with dense hair.
Move in a whirl movement.
Erythraeus spp.
Tydeidae: Legs are plumose.
They have some sensory seta with horizontal with leg
Tydeus sp.
Families of predatory mite under suborder Prostigmata:

21. Mesostigmatid predatory mites – Family Phytoseiidae
Size 400-500µ. Legs are larger. Fast moving mite.
Chelicerae is chelated. Pedipalp look like of a leg, used for selecting food materials ,provide
sensory function ,grasp prey & clean the stylet
Peritrematal tube is extended upto anterior setal base.
Their dorsal opisthosomal entirely covered by shield. Ventrally it has two plates:Both plates
are equipped with 3 pairs of setae (ST1, ST2, ST3). ST4 seta is found in metasternal plate.
Genital shield of female phytoseiid mite with single pair of setae ST5
3 pairs of preanal setae: JV1, JV2, ZV2. A1 and A2 known as paranal setae, A3 is postanal
setae.
Subfamily Characteristics
Amblyseiinae Dorsal z3 absent. Propodosoma is fixed with 9 pairs of
setae and opisthosoma with 3 pairs of setae i.e. Z4, Z5, J5
4pairs of prolateral setae.
Ventral portion contains 3 series of setae in anal shield
region i.e. 1)Preanal setae: JV1, JV2 and ZV2. 2) Anal
setae: a1 and a2. 3) Post anal seta: a3.
In medioventral region JV3 absent
Indoseiulus sp.
Euseius sp.
Macroseius sp.
Amblyseius sp.
Neoseiulus sp.
Phytoseiinae Dorsal z3 present.More than 4pairs of prolateral setae.
Absent: z1, s2, s4, s5.
Phytoseiulus sp
Euseius sp.
Typhlodrominae More than 4pairs of prolateral setae. At least z1, s4, s5, s2
one of them should be present.
Typhlodromus
spp

22. Phytoseiulus
persimilis
Bdella sp.
Neoseiulus
cucumeris
Amblyseius
swirskii
Typhlodromus
pyri

23. Management
 Removal of alternate hosts in the field
 Conserve natural enemies like coccinelid beetles Brumoides suturalis, Jauravia soror,
Scymnus gracilis, satphylinid betele Liophaena gracilipes, Somatium oviformis, thrips
Scolothrips indicus, anthocorid bug Orius tantillus, lygaeid bug Geocoris sp.
 Cheletogenes ornatus has been found to feed voraceouslyon Aceria mangiferae in India and
Neoseiulus paspalivorus predate on coconut eriophyid mite.
 Conserve phytoseiid mite like Amblyseius largoensis, A. swirskii, Neoseiulus
longispinosus,N. cucumeis, Euseius ovalis, E. sundarbanensis, Phytoseiulus persimilis P.
longipes, Typhlodromus ( Anthoseius) caramboae, stigmaeid predator Agistemus
hindustani, Cunexa sp.(cunaxidae), Bdella (bdellidae), Walzia indiana(Anstidae) etc.
 Application of fungal pathogen Verticillium lecanii@5ml/L, Beauveria bassiana @ 2-3g/L
or Hirsutella thompsoni @3g/L of water.
 Horticultural mineral oil is used against Panonychus ulmi on apple.
 Apllication of botanicals like azadirachtin 1% @ 5ml/L or neem oil @ 39ml/L water or
Pongamia leaf extract or leaf extract of Pachyrhizus erosus+ sticker
 Sulphur dust@25kg/ha may be applied (not in tea)
 Application of acaricides like ethion 50%EC @1-3ml/L or Dicofol 18.5% EC @ 2.75-5ml/L
or Propergite 57 %EC @ 2-3ml/L or etoxazole 10% EC 1ml/L or Hexythiazox 5.45 EC @1-
1.25ml/L or fenazaquin10%EC @ 2.5ml/L or spiromesifen22.9%SC @ 0.75-1.25 ml/L of
water may be effective.Spray should be applied on lower leaf surface also.
 Acaricide with translaminar action like abamectin1.9%EC @ 0.5-0.75 ml/L or
Tebufenpyrad ,soiromesifen, etoxazole etc. are more effective.

24. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to extend my special gratitude to my teachers- Prof.
Krishna Karmakar and Dr. Pranab Debnath for their immense
support and giving us the opportunity to do this presentation. I
am really thankful to them.
Although this presentation has been prepared with utmost care
and deep routed interest.Even then we accept respondent and
imperfection.
REFERENCES
 PLANT MITES OF INDIA-S.K. GUPTA
 Class notes of Msc. 2nd semester given by Prof. Krishna
Karmakar and Dr. Pranab Debnath
 wikipedia