The Eriophyid Plant Mites of South Dakota

Abstract

Mites of the superfamily Eriophyoidea have been long known as pests of deciduous trees in the United States. Parrott et al. (1906) reported damage to many varieties of apples and pears by eriophyids. In California, damage to commercial varieties of citrus was recognized more than 30 years ago (Keifer 1939); in Florida damage to citrus was reported earlier (Yothers and Mason 1930). The role of the eriophyid mites as vecotrs of plant viruses has become the subject of intensive attention in the past two decades in North America. Slykhuis (1953) and Wilson et al. (1955) are largely credited for bringing this renewed interest in eriophyid mites. Slykhuis and Wilson's discoveries of the wheat curl mite, Eriophyes tulipae Keifer, as vector of wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) and Phytoptus insidiosus (Wilson and Keifer) as vector of peach mosaic virus prompted many plant pathologists and entomologists to study the bionomics and control.