Authors: Mullens, Bradley A.; Hinkle, Nancy C.; Szijj, Coralie E.

Source: Journal of Economic Entomology, Volume 93, Number 3, June 2000 , pp. 1045-1054(10)

Publisher: Entomological Society of America

Abstract:

Northern fowl mites were monitored on a caged-layer operation in southern California for 22 mo. Three experienced observers underestimated actual numbers of mites in the vent region ≈80% of the time. Errors were higher for heavy infestations. Observer estimates were highly correlated with each other (r > 0.89, P < 0.01) and with mite numbers estimated by vent feather removal (r > 0.82, P < 0.01). Mites on hens varied between houses and over time. Molting consistently reduced mite numbers, but did not eliminate them in a flock. Long-term monitoring of individual sentinel hens demonstrated that some hens would support high numbers of mites for several months or more. Use of a new sequential hen sampling plan required ≈1 min per hen, if mite numbers were estimated. At this site, treatment decisions often could be reached in <20 min per house. Mite scores (index of estimated mites per hen) were well correlated with percentage of hens infested in both test houses. In a chronically infested house, prevalence of mites on eggs averaged 8.5%, with a range of 0-55%. Applications of tetrachlorvinphos-dichlorvos by the producer appeared to be based on mites on > about 20% of eggs. The chemical was marginal for controlling mites on hens (25% reduction in percentage of hens infested), but effectively reduced mites on eggs (95% fewer mites on eggs at 1 wk and 90% at 2 wk). When data were grouped by mite index score on hens, there was a strong relationship (r ² = 0.83, P < 0.01) between mite prevalence on eggs and the scores of the hens which laid them. Sampling 100 eggs evenly spaced in a house required <7 min, and adult mites were easily seen. Sampling mites on eggs appears to be useful to localize at least high-level infestations, and egg-based sampling for mites merits further investigation.

Keywords: Ornithonyssus sylviarum; poultry; ectoparasites; northern fowl mite; sampling

Document Type: Research article

Publication date: 2000-06-01

More about this publication?

• Journal of Economic Entomology is published bimonthly in February, April, June, August, October, and December. The journal publishes articles on the economic significance of insects and is divided into the following sections: apiculture & social insects; arthropods in relation to plant disease; forum; insecticide resistance and resistance management; ecotoxicology; biological and microbial control; ecology and behavior; sampling and biostatistics; household and structural insects; medical entomology; molecular entomology; veterinary entomology; forest entomology; horticultural entomology; field and forage crops, and small grains; stored-product; commodity treatment and quarantine entomology; and plant resistance. In addition to research papers, Journal of Economic Entomology publishes Letters to the Editor, interpretive articles in a Forum section, Short Communications, Rapid Communications, and Book Reviews.
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