Tetranychidae
Guides
Bryobiinae
Bryobiinae is a subfamily of spider mites (Tetranychidae) within the order Trombidiformes. Members of this subfamily have been documented from Turkey and Greece, with species collected from agricultural fields and natural habitats. The subfamily includes genera such as Bryobia, Aplonobia, and Mezranobia. New species continue to be described, including recent discoveries from garlic fields and island ecosystems.
Eurytetranychus
Eurytetranychus is a genus of spider mites (Tetranychidae) known primarily as pests of boxwood (Buxus species). The most notable species, Eurytetranychus buxi, feeds on boxwood foliage and has been identified as a significant arthropod pest in managed landscapes. Climate change may allow this mite to complete additional generations in warming regions, potentially increasing damage in areas where it was previously unproblematic.
Feltiella
Feltiella is a genus of predatory gall midges (Cecidomyiidae) whose larvae feed on spider mites (Tetranychidae). The genus includes commercially important biological control agents, particularly F. acarisuga, which is mass-reared for augmentative biocontrol of tetranychid mites in greenhouse and agricultural systems. Larvae are voracious predators of spider mite eggs, with documented consumption rates exceeding 150 eggs per larva. Adults are short-lived and do not feed on prey.
Oligonychus
Oligonychus is a genus of spider mites in the family Tetranychidae containing approximately 200 described species. Many species are significant agricultural pests attacking diverse crops including tea, coffee, corn, sugarcane, date palms, and numerous ornamental plants. The genus exhibits broad host plant associations spanning monocots and dicots, with several species causing economically important damage through leaf feeding.
Petrobia
brown wheat mite, oxalis mite
Petrobia is a genus of spider mites in the family Tetranychidae, containing 34 described species. The genus includes several economically important agricultural pests, notably P. latens (brown wheat mite) and P. harti (oxalis mite). Species are distinguished by morphological features including elongated first leg pairs, pad-like claws with hooked empodia, and distinctive prodorsal setae arrangements. The genus is divided into three subgenera: Mesotetranychus, Petrobia, and Tetranychina, differentiated primarily by peritreme structure and dorsal setae characteristics.
Petrobia harti
Woodsorrel Mite
Petrobia harti is a spider mite in the family Tetranychidae, commonly known as the Woodsorrel Mite. It has been recorded from multiple countries including Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, and Costa Rica. As a member of the Tetranychidae, it is likely a plant-feeding mite, though specific host associations and detailed biology remain poorly documented in the provided sources.
Phytoseiidae
predatory mites
Phytoseiidae is a large family of predatory mites in the order Mesostigmata, comprising over 2,700 described species across 90 genera and three subfamilies (Amblyseiinae, Phytoseiinae, and Typhlodrominae). These mites are primarily recognized for their role as biological control agents against agricultural pests, particularly spider mites (Tetranychidae), thrips, and other small arthropods. Their effectiveness in integrated pest management programs has driven substantial research interest, with species such as Phytoseiulus persimilis, Neoseiulus californicus, and Amblyseius swirskii among the most widely studied and commercially deployed predatory mites.
biological-controlpredatory-mitesintegrated-pest-managementagricultural-acarologyspider-mite-predatorspollen-feedingintraguild-predationWolbachiaaugmentative-biocontrolconservation-biological-controldomatiaglandular-trichomespesticide-compatibilitymass-rearingTetranychidaeThysanopteraMesostigmatacrop-protectionsustainable-agriculturemite-ecology