Aggregation of the Chicken Mite, Dermanyssus Gallinae (Acari: Dermanyssidae)1

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Abstract
Dermanyssus gallinae mites consistently aggregate and form clusters of mixed developmental stages; recently fed mites aggregate most quickly and form more definite clusters than unfed mites. Thigmokinesis and pheromones are involved in the clustering behavior. The aggregation pheromone(s) is volatile and can be recognized by mites without directly contacting it. D. gallinae is not attracted (or if so, only weakly) to several synthetic chemicals that are reported to function as pheromones in other acarine taxa. It is somewhat attracted to synthetic guanine.