. The Acarina or mites. A review of the group for the use of economic entomologists. Mites. THE ACARINA OR MITES. 93 that bore in decaying wood are usually a milky or yellowish white. WTiile in the nymphal stage the mite undergoes three molts; the last molt bringing it to the adult condition. In some cases the nymph during the latter part of its life approaches the appearance of the adult; in other species the nymph at each molt becomes more and more specialized, and in no wise approaching the adult in appearance. The hairs are often very long, frequently serrate, and sometimes scalelike and e
. The Acarina or mites. A review of the group for the use of economic entomologists. Mites. THE ACARINA OR MITES. 93 that bore in decaying wood are usually a milky or yellowish white. WTiile in the nymphal stage the mite undergoes three molts; the last molt bringing it to the adult condition. In some cases the nymph during the latter part of its life approaches the appearance of the adult; in other species the nymph at each molt becomes more and more specialized, and in no wise approaching the adult in appearance. The hairs are often very long, frequently serrate, and sometimes scalelike and even fan- shaped. In several cases of allied species the nymphs are similar in appearance, while the adults are very dissimilar. 'WTien a nymph is about to become an imago it seeks some sheltered spot and, fixing its legs firmly in the substance upon which it rests, it gradually becomes inert and apparently dead. It remains in this condition about 10 days. "\Mien about to trans- form to the adult the skin splits behind and shows the imago beneath; this split increases without any perceptible movement of the mite until it is quite large, when the mite begins to back out of its old shell. It may be noticed then, according to Michael, that the legs of the adult are not withdrawn from the legs of the nj-mph, but are folded beneath the adult. It may be, however, that they had been withdrawn from the nymphal legs before the skin begins to split. Once out, the mite walks off, leaving its old skin with the legs outstretched in the position they had during the resting stage. Nymphs can live over the winter, and while they are most abun- dant in spring, they are also found at other times. Michael, who has reared many oribatids, thinks that the winter is usually passed in the egg or adult stage, and that there may be several but no regular number of broods each year. Some species (Ameronothus), it is claimed, are viviparous, Bostock having observed the birth of living larvae. These fo
Size: 1164px × 2147px
Photo credit: © Library Book Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublisherwashi, bookyear1915
