A Comparison of the Number of Tropical Rat Mites and Tropical Fowl Mites that Fed Under Varying Conditions of Humidity1

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Abstract
The tropical fowl mite, Ornithonyssus bursa (Berlese), and the tropical rat mite, O. bacoti (Hirst), were given an opportunity to feed on heparinized chicken blood at an environmental temperature of 95° F and 96, 80 83, 73, and 22%, RH. The number of mites that fed at the 3 highest humidities was compared with the number that fed at 22% RH. Laelaps nuttali (Hirst) and Echinolaelaps echidninus (Berlese) were subjected to 96% and 80-83% RH at the same temperature. Ten mites of each species and stage were aspirated into tubes 3x0.25 in. A rubber cylinder with a silk membrane attached to the lower end was introduced into the glass tube. The blood was introduced into the cylinder and the mites fed through the membrane. A relative humidity of 83% and 96% reduced the feeding of O. bursa and O. bacoti but at 73% RH the number of mites that fed was not significantly different from the control at 22%. The laclaptid mites were generally less affected by a high humidity.

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