Mites as an Ecological Sustainability Indicator in Orchards
Mites That Fill Other Niches
Tydeidae
 |
 |
Adults |
Adults |
Family |
Tydeidae |
Common Name |
Yellow mites |
Size |
Relatively small |
Appearance |
Yellow, soft-bodied |
Location on Tree |
Often found near midrib of leaf |
Mobility |
Fast moving |
Niche |
Predatory, plant feeding, and scavenging; usually doing all three in orchards |
Acaridae
 |
Adult |
Family |
Acaridae |
Appearance |
Body distinctly seperated into two parts by suture. Usually smooth and pale in color. Dorsal shield near head. |
Location on Tree |
Found on older tree parts |
Niche |
Predatory or deutritus feeding |
Oribatidae: Moss and Beetle Mites
 |
 |
 |
Larvae |
Adult |
On calyx of apple |
Family |
Oribatidae |
Common Name |
Moss mites, Beetle mites |
Appearance |
Hard-bodied, brownish red. Resemble small beetles because of hard, shiny surface. |
Location on Tree |
Rare, found under bark, but can be present on calyx of apple at harvest time |
Egg Appearance |
Elliptical, transparent eggs |
Mobility |
Slow moving |
Niche |
Soil decomposers |
Saproglyphidae
 |
Czenspinskia lordi Adult |
Family |
Saproglyphidae |
Species |
Czenspinskia lordi |
Size |
Small |
Appearance |
Transparent, with two red dots posteriorly on the dorsum. Smooth skin. |
Location on Tree |
Found feeding on and around tree |
Egg Appearance |
Oval and opague |
Mobility |
Slow moving |
Niche |
Generally fungal feeders, some phytophagous species known |
Tarsonemidae
 |
Adults |
Family |
Tarsonemidae |
Size |
Medium-sized |
Appearance |
Shiny, flesh or peach colored. Anterior dorsal shield. |
Location on Tree |
Among veins and trichomes of leaves |
Egg Appearance |
Clear, whitish-yellow, oval eggs |
Niche |
Phytophagous, predatory, and scavenging; mostly scavenging in apple orchards |