Observations on the Yellow Tea-mite Hemitarsonemus latus (Banks) Ewing

Abstract

The yellow tea-mite should in future be known as Hemitarsonemus latus (Banks) Ewing.The males have a curious habit of carrying female pupae to younger leaves. The pupa is held above the male's body by means of a sucker-like organ near the tip of his tail-like, posterior terminus. Thus the male plays an active part in distributing the pest.Mating has not been observed, but normally it occurs as soon as the female becomes adult. It may also occur later in her life.Unfertilised females give rise to male offspring only, but mated females have mixed families.