Acaricides or Miticides

Definition

Pesticides formulated to kill or suppress mites and ticks (subclass Acari), including agricultural pests, parasitic livestock mites, and disease-vectoring ticks. The terms are often used interchangeably, though 'acaricide' technically encompasses all Acari while 'miticide' sometimes excludes ticks in colloquial usage. These agents operate through contact, systemic, or fumigant action and include organophosphates, pyrethroids, growth regulators, and newer biopesticides such as acaricidal fungi.

Etymology

From New Latin Acari (mite and tick subclass) + -cide (killer), and Latin mite (mite) + -cide

Example

Beekeepers apply formic acid or thymol-based miticides to honey bee colonies to control Varroa destructor, a parasitic mite that vectors deformed wing virus and can collapse entire hives if left untreated.

Synonyms

• arachnicide

Related Terms

• Insecticide
• pesticide resistance
• Integrated Pest Management
• Tick
• mite
• Varroa
• Ixodes
• formamidine
• spirodiclofen

Usage Notes

'Acaricide' is the broader, more formally correct term in scientific literature; 'miticide' predominates in agriculture and horticulture where spider mites (Tetranychidae) are the target. Many compounds active against mites are also insecticidal, but true acaricides often show poor efficacy against insects and vice versa. Resistance management requires rotation among chemical classes because acarid populations can develop resistance rapidly due to short generation times and parthenogenetic reproduction.