The Adult Form of the “Harvest Bug”

Abstract

THE adult form of the larval mite known as the “Harvest Bug” (Leptus autumnalis Shaw), which causes so much annoyance in many rural districts at this time of the year, has long been sought for. In the middle of August, Prof. F. V. Theobald and Mr. C. W. Goode, of Wye, sent me three chickens heavily infested with this larval mite. From these larvæ I have succeeded in rearing an adult mite closely allied to Trombicula, Berlese, and resembling that genus in having a deep constriction behind the anterior pairs, of legs, but more elongated in form and with the setæ on the cephalothorax shorter and differently shaped. I propose the name Trombicula (Neotrombicula) autumnale for this adult mite, Neotrombicula being a new subgeneric name. The name Leptus was created by Latreille for Acarus phalangi (= Achorolophus ignotus Oudmns), now referred to the family Erythræidæ, and should not be used for the “harvest bug”, which belongs to the family Trombidiidæ.