Mite-y Waist: Correcting a 60-Year Error in Mite Morphology
Much of mite biology is clouded in mystery—even the delineation of their body segments. A new study upends a 60-year-old model for the proper location of mite "waists."
Try as One Mite: New Guide Reviews Management for Little-Known Turfgrass Pests
Eriophyid mites are a challenging pest for turfgrass managers due to their small size and poorly understood biology. A new guide in the open-access Journal of Integrated Pest Management outlines what is known about eriophyid mites, available management options, and avenues for future research.
Lab Test Rapidly IDs Potential Mite Pest of Honey Bees
Mites in the genus Tropilaelaps could follow in the footsteps of Varroa mites as significant threats to honey bees if they were to expand their range. A new test using analysis of the "melt curves" of DNA samples can discern the four known Tropilaelaps species and could be an important tool in surveillance for the mite pests in apicultural settings.
“Go Pick Up a Mite!” Two Cents From an Acarologist and His Love for Mites
Meet Ray Fisher, Ph.D., postdoctoral researcher at the University of Arkansas, expert in mite systematics, avid naturalist, and subject of the next installment of our "Standout Early Career Professionals" series.