Tea, Camellia sinensis (Theaceae), is one of the most economically important industrial crops globally. The mite Tuckerella japonica (Trombidiformes: Tuckerellidae) has been reported as a pest on tea, yet information on its seasonal population dynamics and overwintering strategy in tea-growing regions remains limited. Moreover, comparative data on the population among different tea cultivars/clones are lacking. This study aimed to determine the population fluctuations, overwintering stage, and potential differences in susceptibility among tea cultivars. The study was conducted in Rize province, located in the Black Sea Region of Türkiye, during 2022 and 2023 under open-field conditions. Fieldwork was conducted in three tea gardens containing the cultivars Samidori and Saekari and the Muradiye-10 clone. During the vegetation period, sampling was performed at 20-day intervals from March to November. At each sampling date, 45 stems (15 cm long) were collected from lateral shoots, comprising 15 stems from each of the lower, middle, and upper canopy levels. Additionally, 60 leaves (20 per canopy level) were sampled, and when available, 25 flowers and 25 fruits were collected. During the winter period (December-February), monthly sampling was carried out using the same scheme. All samples were examined under a stereomicroscope, and the number of mites on stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits was recorded separately. Mites were mounted in Hoyer’s medium, dried at 50 °C, and identified to species level using a phase-contrast microscope. Tuckerella japonica populations generally reached their peak densities on stems in July and October, while the highest densities on fruits were recorded in November. Population density decreased significantly during the winter months. In this period, only adult individuals were detected on stems, with no eggs or immature stages observed, indicating that T. japonica may overwinter as adults. Mite densities also varied among cultivars, with the Muradiye-10 clone showing lower infestation levels than the Saekari and Samidori cultivars. These findings enhance understanding of the seasonal biology of T. japonica in tea ecosystems and may aid in developing cultivar-based management strategies within integrated pest management programs.
This study updates the distribution and phylogenetic position of Ornithodoros (Pavlovskyella) nicollei in Mexico through new occurrence records, morphological identification, and the first molecular data for the species. A total of 171 specimens were collected from seven localities across five Mexican states: Sinaloa, State of Mexico, Puebla, Oaxaca, and Chiapas. Morphological identification was based on diagnostic characters consistent with previous descriptions of the species. For molecular characterization, a 475 bp fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rDNA gene was sequenced, showing 83.09–84.26
Predation risk can strongly influence the evolution of reproductive tactics because behaviours that enhance mating success often increase vulnerability to predators. Males of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, exhibit distinct reproductive tactics, including fighting and sneaking, as a conditional strategy. We investigated whether escape behaviour in response to predation risk differs between fighter and sneaker males during precopulatory mate guarding. To examine responses to different predator-associated cues, we introduced different developmental stages (adult female, deutonymph, protonymph, and larva) of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis to guarding males and quantified escape timing. Sneaker males showed significantly delayed escape responses compared with fighter males. Female survival during predator encounters varied depending on both male tactic and predator developmental stage. Although escape responses appeared to vary among predator developmental stages, the interaction between male tactic and predator stage was not statistically significant. We also observed counterattacking behaviour directed toward predators in male T. urticae. Most counterattacks were performed by fighter males, indicating a potential behavioural association between predator-directed aggression and male reproductive tactics. Our findings demonstrate that reproductive tactics are associated with differences in antipredator responses and provide new insight into behavioural evolution under the trade-off between reproduction and predator avoidance.
Predatory mites and invertebrate-pathogenic fungi are important biological control tools for managing populations of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, in horticultural field crops. Here, we evaluated strategies for the combined use of a mite-pathogenic strain of Beauveria bassiana and Neoseiulus californicus to suppress T. urticae populations on sweet pepper plants. First, we compared the performance of both biocontrol agents, applied alone or in combination, under greenhouse conditions. A decline in T. urticae populations was observed 7 days after the release of the predatory mite (53–62
Blattisocius mali is a soil predatory mite known to disperse phoretically on adult drosophilid fruit flies and feed ectoparasitically on them during transport. Despite this association, its behavioural and trophic interactions with immature drosophilid stages remain poorly understood. This study analysed B. mali’s ability to prey on Drosophila hydei immature stages and examined the effects of prior rearing diet on predation, prey preference, and switching. Two types of predatory mite were compared: (1) fly-reared (FR) and (2) mite-reared (MR), raised on fruit flies or acarid mites, respectively. Predator females successfully attacked all developmental stages, except pupae, during 24 h of exposure in our assay. In non-choice tests, mean predation rates were highest on first-instar (L1), followed by eggs, second-instar (L2), and third-instar larvae (L3). FR predators, as compared to MR predators, showed the highest predation rates on all prey stages except L3. Feeding on fly eggs, B. mali exhibited significantly higher fecundity, laying nearly twice as many eggs compared to when they were fed on L1. Their oviposition declined markedly on L2 and L3. In two-choice and three-choice assays, B. mali showed a clear preference for eggs over larval instars in both predator types. FR predators preferred L1 over L2, while, conversely, MR predators preferred L2. Furthermore, B. mali females displayed different behaviour depending on the proportion of fly eggs and/or larvae available, including no switching, switching, or counter-switching. These findings improve understanding of trophic interactions between mesostigmatic mites and drosophilid flies and highlight the role of dietary experience in shaping predator foraging behaviour.
The cyclamen mite, Phytonemus pallidus Banks, is a major threat to strawberries, causing significant damage. Chemical control is challenging due to its hidden feeding habits. Therefore, emphasizing host plant resistance is crucial, particularly in the tritrophic system. In the present study, the compatibility of the predatory mite Neoseiulus californicus McGregor with resistant and susceptible strawberry cultivars was evaluated for the management of the cyclamen mite, P. pallidus, under laboratory conditions. Leaves from two greenhouse-adapted cultivars, Sabrina (susceptible) and Albion (resistant), and two field-adapted cultivars, Gaviota (susceptible) and Paros (resistant), were used to assess predator performance. The fecundity, intrinsic rate of increase (r), and finite rate of increase (λ) of N. californicus were significantly greater on the susceptible greenhouse- and field-adapted cultivars than on the corresponding resistant cultivars. Predation rate did not differ significantly between the greenhouse cultivars but was significantly higher on the resistant field cultivar Paros than on the susceptible cultivar Gaviota. Although Paros reduced the predator’s population growth potential by approximately 19
Ticks are major ectoparasites of livestock worldwide, causing severe economic losses through blood feeding, reduced productivity, and the transmission of several diseases. The intensive use of synthetic acaricides has led to resistance in tick populations and raised concerns about environmental contamination and animal health. Consequently, there is increasing interest in plant-derived products as safer and more sustainable alternatives for tick management. This study investigated the chemical composition and fumigant acaricidal activity of Salvia officinalis essential oil against the tick Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae). A total of 36 compounds were identified by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The major constituents were dextro-camphor (26.90
Macrocheles nataliae (Acari: Macrochelidae) holds promise as a biological control of soil-inhabiting pests. Temperature is a critical abiotic factor influencing the population dynamics and biocontrol efficacy of predatory mites. However, its effects on the development and reproduction of M. nataliae remain poorly understood. In this study, the effects of five constant temperatures (17, 21, 25, 29, and 33 °C) on the growth, survivorship and reproduction of M. nataliae fed on Carpoglyphus lactis was examined using the age-stage, two-sex life table theory and linear degree-day model. Within the 17–29 °C range, the developmental duration and adult longevity of both female and male M. nataliae decreased gradually with increasing temperature. Although immature mites successfully completed development at 33 °C, adult females failed to reproduce, which indicated that high temperature imposes severe inhibitory effects on reproductive function of M. nataliae. The developmental rates of all life stages were adequately described by the linear degree-day model (R² > 0.90), with lower developmental thresholds ranging from 11.11 to 12.61 °C across different stages. Life table analyses identified 25 °C as the optimal temperature for population performance, producing the maximum net reproductive rate (R0 = 14.98), intrinsic rate of increase (r = 0.15 d−¹), finite rate of increase (λ = 1.16 d−¹) and gross reproductive rate (GRR = 28.1). Females exhibited longer lifespans and higher reproductive values than males under suitable temperatures, and individual life expectancy consistently declined with rising temperature. This study firstly defines the suitable thermal range (17–29 °C), optimal temperature (25 °C), and high-temperature (33 °C) reproductive threshold of M. nataliae. These temperature-response parameters provide fundamental data for the mass rearing of this novel biocontrol mite resource under laboratory conditions, and offer a basis for further evaluation of its potential field performance.
The dry bulb mite Aceria tulipae is one of the most economically important pests of Allium crops worldwide, damaging plants during vegetation and bulb storage. Despite its increasing phytosanitary importance, information on the distribution and management of A. tulipae in Ukraine remains limited. This study provides the first confirmed record of the species in the Kyiv region and new data on its biology. The study also provides one of the first evaluations of biorational pesticides against A. tulipae under Ukrainian field and storage conditions, addressing an important gap in environmentally sustainable mite management. Field surveys conducted during 2022–2024 revealed characteristic infestation symptoms on garlic (Allium sativum L.), including fine wrinkling of cloves and low to moderate leaf injury, with mean damage ratings of 2.2–3.1 on a 9-point scale. The regional spread of the pest is likely linked to the circulation of infested planting material among private and small-scale farms. The efficacy of biorational pesticides approved for organic farming was evaluated under field conditions during garlic growth and during post-harvest bulb storage. The highest and most stable biological efficacy against A. tulipae, expressed as mite population reduction relative to the untreated control, was achieved with Cezar and Actofit, reaching 87.7–93.7
Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) is a high-value global crop, yet its productivity is severely constrained by the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch. Developing localized economic thresholds is a cornerstone of sustainable Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to mitigate yield losses and reduce acaricide reliance. This two-season field study (2019–2020) investigated the quantitative relationship between T. urticae population density and strawberry yield in Egypt. Using varying infestation levels established via Chitosan (Top9 0.1
Acaricides are used to control ticks; however, their irrational use may lead to resistance, making tick control more difficult. This study aimed to determine the spatial distribution of ticks and detect genetic mutations associated with resistance to organophosphates (OPs) and synthetic pyrethroids (SPs) in Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus ticks in Punjab, Pakistan. Ticks were collected from livestock farms across three agroecological zones in Punjab. They were identified morphologically and confirmed through molecular assays. The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR–RFLP) technique was used to detect the mutation at G1120A in the acetylcholinesterase gene using the EcoRI restriction enzyme. To detect mutation at T2134A of voltage-gated sodium channel gene, allele-specific PCR was performed. A total of 1,003 ixodid ticks were collected representing seven species: Hyalomma anatolicum (457; 45.56
Honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies are essential for agricultural production and ecosystem services but are increasingly threatened by multiple stressors, particularly the parasitic mite Varroa destructor, one of the major causes of global colony losses. Early and reliable detection of infestations is therefore critical for effective colony management. In this study, we investigated continuous hive acoustics as a non-invasive approach for the early detection of Varroa infestations. Approximately 960,000 timestamped acoustic recordings were collected from 53 colonies, of which only recordings temporally matched to available Varroa assessments (May–August 2020) were retained for model development. Each recording was temporally aligned with field-based Varroa measurements, and classification models were developed using 19 acoustic features derived from frequency bands and signal intensity. Among the tested algorithms, Random Forest achieved the highest performance (accuracy: 89.7
Population size and sex ratio are fundamental components of the social environment. Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) is a globally significant invasive pest, infesting a wide range of economically important agricultural crops. Understanding how population size and sex ratio affect individual fitness and population growth of T. urticae provides crucial insight into population dynamics and management. Here, we tested the influence of population size and sex ratio on reproduction, longevity, and life table parameters in T. urticae. We set up a factorial design with three population sizes and three sex ratios yielding nine combination treatments. Results showed that females in larger populations had greater fecundity and longer lives; however, sex ratio had no significant effect on female fecundity and longevity. In addition, females in larger population sizes had a higher net reproductive rate, a higher intrinsic rate of natural increase, and a shorter population doubling time, suggesting that control strategies should focus on proactive treatments to keep population sizes small to suppress population growth. Offspring survival rate was positively affected by parental population size but negatively affected by offspring population density. In contrast to females, males in larger and male-biased populations had significantly shorter longevity. The findings from this study advance our understanding of how population size and sex ratio shape spider mite life history traits and population dynamics, offering insights for population management.
Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) represent an increasing threat to human and animal health worldwide, with several bacterial pathogens detected in or maintained by tick populations. However, a comprehensive synthesis of the prevalence of Anaplasma, Rickettsia, and Coxiella-related bacteria and their associated factors in ticks in China remains limited. This study aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of these pathogens and evaluate epidemiological and methodological factors associated with pathogen detection. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Six databases were searched for studies published between January 2000 and September 2025. Random-effects meta-analysis was performed using R to estimate pooled prevalence, and subgroup analyses were conducted to evaluate potential factors associated with pathogen detection. A total of 203 studies were included. The pooled prevalence of Anaplasma, Rickettsia, and Coxiella-related bacteria in ticks was 6
This atlas provides updated maps based on georeferenced tick locations of 22 species endemic in Germany, three regularly imported tick species and one species that was previously frequently imported into Germany. Thus, the current version of the atlas of ticks in Germany contains distribution maps for a total of 26 tick species with the following numbers of newly georeferenced tick locations: 1 Argas reflexus, 10 Carios vespertilionis, 3 Dermacentor marginatus, 53 Dermacentor reticulatus, 10 Haemaphysalis concinna, 7 Haemaphysalis punctata, 2 Hyalomma aegyptium, 111 Hyalomma marginatum, 39 Hyalomma rufipes, 2 Ixodes arboricola, 2 Ixodes crenulatus (syn. Ixodes canisuga), 27 Ixodes frontalis, 43 Ixodes hexagonus, 6 Ixodes lividus, 271 Ixodes ricinus, 1 Ixodes rugicollis, 5 Ixodes trianguliceps, 1 Ixodes uriae, 2 Ixodes ventalloi, 1 Ornithodoros maritimus, and 32 Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato. Ixodes inopinatus has been removed from the previously included species list because more recent studies have shown that these were misidentifications. The rabbit tick I. ventalloi, the argasid seabird tick O. maritimus and the formerly frequently imported tortoise tick Hy. aegyptium, however, have been included in the current atlas of ticks in Germany. In total, the digital dataset available for Germany is updated by 629 new tick locations. These records increase the number of tick species mapped in the federal state Saxony by six, those in Hamburg by five, those in Brandenburg by four, those in Schleswig-Holstein by three, those in Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bavaria and Thuringia by two each, and those in Bremen, Northrhine-Westphalia, Rhineland Palatinate and Saarland by one each. Of the 26 tick species ever detected in Germany, 21 were observed in the period 2001–present. Thus, the second data update of the atlas of ticks in Germany provides the most comprehensive digital dataset to date on the distribution of tick species in Germany.
Resistance of Rhipicephalus microplus to macrocyclic lactones represents a major challenge for the control of this ectoparasite, leading to substantial economic losses. The indiscriminate use of acaricides has resulted in increasingly resistant populations, highlighting the need for alternative control strategies and pharmacological approaches, such as the use of synergists to enhance acaricide efficacy against resistant ticks. This study evaluated the effect of piperonyl butoxide (PBO) as a synergist in modulating resistance to ivermectin, eprinomectin, and moxidectin in five tick populations from the semi-arid area of Northeast Brazil. Bioassays revealed widespread resistance, with variation in LC50 values among locations, likely reflecting differences in the intensity and frequency of macrocyclic lactone use and, consequently, differences in resistance intensity rather than evidence of distinct resistance mechanisms. The association of PBO with macrocyclic lactones resulted in significant synergism in the studied tick populations. A notable reduction in LC50 was observed in 3 out of 5 populations for ivermectin, 4 out of 5 populations for eprinomectin, and 3 out of 5 populations for moxidectin. Even in highly resistant populations to moxidectin, a marked decrease in LC50 was observed after PBO exposure. These results indicate a pharmacological interaction between PBO and macrocyclic lactones, consistent with a partial contribution of oxidative detoxification to the resistance phenotype. However, the absence of synergism in some populations and the persistence of high resistance levels suggest that additional mechanisms are also involved.
The taiga tick Ixodes persulcatus (Schulze, 1930) (Acari, Ixodidae), widespread in the northern Palearctic, is the vector of dangerous human pathogens including tick-borne encephalitis virus. Knowledge of its ecology is important for minimising tick bite exposure risk. We studied the diel activity of male and female I. persulcatus in the north of the range (Karelia, Russian Federation) and tested its relationship with environmental factors including temperature, relative humidity and light intensity. The field experiment was conducted in May-June 2024. Cages with unfed adult ticks (males and females) were placed in three different biotopes, and their activity was assessed every two hours. Tick activity could be described by a bimodal curve, with a peak in the morning and in the evening. Diel activity rhythms were somewhat different in male and female ticks, with females questing longer than males. Relative humidity was the key determinant of questing duration. Weather changes accompanied by decreasing atmospheric pressure, as well as rain, reduced tick activity. The greatest tick bite exposure risk in Karelia is observed from mid-May to early June, when the temperature ranges from 10 °C to 20 °C and relative humidity exceeds 70
Protein N-glycosylation is a fundamental post-translational modification that shapes protein folding, stability, trafficking, and biological function. In arthropods, current understanding of N-glycosylation is largely derived from insect models, whereas chelicerates, including mites and ticks, remain poorly characterized despite their ecological and economic importance. Here, we present the first comprehensive, site-specific N-glycoproteomic analysis of a chelicerate arthropod, the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae, a globally important agricultural pest characterized by rapid development, high fecundity, extreme polyphagy, and exceptional resistance to chemical control. Using intact glycopeptide enrichment coupled with high-resolution Orbitrap LC–MS/MS, and following fragment-level validation of glycan compositions, we identified 2535 intact N-glycopeptides (glycoforms) corresponding to 815 N-glycosylation sites across 543 glycoproteins. The T. urticae N-glycome is strongly dominated by oligomannose-type glycans, which account for 89.2
The objective of this research was to confirm the identity of the mites associated with the disease known as inhibited ripening of blackberries, also known as redberry, in all phenological stages of three commercial varieties of blackberry (Rubus spp.). The association of the mites with redberry is reported through an exhaustive analysis that includes the study of their fluctuation in the different morphological structures of the plant throughout its phenology, as well as taxonomic determination by optical and scanning electron microscopy. Acalitus essigi and Acalitus orthomerus were found in nine morphological structures of the plants, showing preferences for vegetative buds, reproductive buds, and polydrupes, where both species were frequently found in coexistence. Redberry occurred in the late stages of polydrupe harvest in Tupy and X001 varieties, while the SP-Erandy variety did not show symptoms of this disease. In addition, two additional species of the Eriophyoidea superfamily associated with Rubus spp. were identified, Diptacus rubuscolum and Aculus schlechtendali; they infested the surface of leaves, being determined as vagrants.
