Anystid mite: Citrus thrips predator

Authors

A. R. Mostafa
Paul DeBach
T. W. Fisher

Authors Affiliations

A. R. Mostafa is Assistant Research Entomologist, with the Department of Entomology, Division of Biological Control, University of California, Riverside; Pad DeBach is Professor, with the Department of Entomology, Division of Biological Control, University of California, Riverside; T. W. Fisher is Specialist, with the Department of Entomology, Division of Biological Control, University of California, Riverside.

Publication Information

Hilgardia 29(3):5-5. DOI:10.3733/ca.v029n03p5. March 1975.

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Abstract

An anystid mite, Anystis agilis (Banks) (Acarine: Anystidae) has been observed feeding on larval and adult citrus thrips, Scirtothrips citri (Moulton) in orange groves in River-side and Ventura counties. The mite has also been known to prey upon aphids and citrus red mites. This observation is important because citrus thrips is one of the two or three most important citrus pests in California, yet very little is known about its natural control. Since the population density of the citrus thrips varies widely from year to year and between different groves in the same year, natural factors not yet understood are operating to produce these observed fluctuations. Thus, this new ob-servation of A. agilis as a predator of citrus thrips is of considerable interest.