Pergamasus quisquiliarum Canestini is a polyphagous predatory mite that has been shown to feed on the economically important arthropod, Scutigerella immaculata Newport (Symphyla: Scutigerellidae), Collembola, Diptera larvae, Enchytraeid worms, and miscellaneous other soil organisms. This study examined the feeding behavior of P. quisquiliarum, the effects of cover cropping and tillage practices on P. quisquiliarum populations, the biology and ecology of P. quisquiliarum in agricultural and non-agricultural sites, and the seasonal dynamics of P. quisquiliarum. The interaction of cover crop and tillage treatment was statistically significant for P. quisquiliarum populations (P<0.001). Tillage treatment was the primary factor for P. quisquiliarum populations, as very low densities of P. quisquiliarum were recovered from green manure plots, regardless of the cover crop treatment. Among no-till plots, Monida oats had the greatest densities of P. quisquiliarum, while control (fallow) and white mustard plots had the lowest densities. The two non-agricultural sites had higher densities of P. quisquiliarum than the agricultural site. Among the non-agricultural sites, P. quisquiliarum density was higher in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirbel) Franco) litter than in Oregon white oak litter (Quercus garryana Dougl.), suggesting that the nature of the chemical and physical micro-environment was more suitable under Douglas-fir trees. In all sites, P. quisquiliarum attained it's greatest density in August, with a second peak in October. Minimum P. quisquiliarum densities were observed in January and February. Seasonal P. quisquiliarum densities were significantly synchronized with seasonal dynamics of it's prey items. / Graduation date: 1998

Orientador: Celso Henrique de Oliveira / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-09T01:22:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Muniz_JoaoRuiOppermann_M.pdf: 1420322 bytes, checksum: 158ef5c7cf3a89f5739f9f59432172fb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Resumo: Ácaros são frequentemente relacionados como fontes de alérgenos para humanos, sendo encontrados principalmente em amostras de poeira de colchões, travesseiros, sofás, e tapetes. O objetivo desses estudo foi avaliar se vestimentas humanas são reservatórios de ácaros presentes na poeira domiciliar. Um total de 56 amostras de poeira de vestimentas de voluntários da cidade de Campinas foram aspiradas e analisadas através de microscopia óptica. Os resultados demonstraram que os ácaros estiveram presentes em 38 (67,9%) das vestimentas. Ácaros da poeira domiciliar (APD) representaram 92,6% do total de ácaros. Houve uma prevalência significativamente maior de APD nas amostras, quando comparados com outras famílias acarinas (p<0,0001). As principais espécies encontradas foram Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus e Euroglyphus maynei. Concluiu-se que as vestimentas também devem ser consideradas como uma importante fonte de ácaros no ambiente intradomiciliar / Abstract: Mites have been considered the most important source of allergen for humans, being found mainly on mattress, pillows, sofas, and rugs dust samples. The objective of this study was to evaluate if human clothes can also be considered another source of mites. 56 dust samples on clothes of volunteers from Campinas were vacuumed and analyzed using an optic microscopy. According to results data mites were presented on 38 (67.9%) of total analyzed dust samples. House dust mites (HDM) represented 92.6% of total mite count. There was a higher significant prevalence of HDM (p<0.0001) on samples when compared to other mite families. The most important species found were Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Euroglyphus maynei. In conclusion, clothes should also be considered an important indoor source of mites / Mestrado / Saude da Criança e do Adolescente / Mestre em Saude da Criança e do Adolescente

The citrus red mite, Panonychus citri (McGregor), is a relatively new pest to South African citriculture, the first recorded injury to citrus trees was from Rustenberg, Transvaal in 1950 (Smith 1953). In the U.S.A. the biology of this mite has been studied by Quayle (1938), Prendergast (1938), English and Turnipseed (1941), DeBach (1947), DeBach et al. (1950), Ebeling (1959) and Jeppson et al. (1957,1961). However, in South Africa little information is available concerning the ecolopy of the citrus red mite. The majority of the literature pertaining to P. citri in Republic, (Smith (1953), Mentz (1954), Stofberg (1959), Schwartz (1965) and Brodrick (1965) is of a descriptive nature, and mainly concerned with the chemical control of the mite. The only biological investigation on the development of P.citri, and the effect of insecticides and insect predators on its biology, under South African conditions, was made by van Rooyen (1966) at Zebediela, Transvaal. In the control of citrus pests, such as the citrus red mite, that need for a better understanding of their ecology has been well emphasised by DeBach (1951) and Griffiths (1951). DeBach (1951) in particular, stressed the danger of the continued reliance on insecticidal treatment as the only method of nest control, and has pointed out that persistent chemical applications may only serve to intensify the pest problem. He has suggested that a closer study of the environment of the pest species could provide a solution to the problems now encountered as a result of insecticidal control measures. Intro., p. 1-2.