Experimental Rearing of the British Harvest Mite to the Adult Stage

Abstract

THE periodical revivals of attempts at rearing harvest mites during the past half-century have led to few successes, and Trombicula autumnalis, the British harvest mite, has evaded the efforts of Hirst¹, André², Keay³, and others to rear it further than the nymphal stage. In view of the permanent hypogean existence of the nymphs and adults at some considerable depth below the surface of the soil (Cookings)⁴, it is not surprising that difficulties have been encountered in trying to discover the food and environmental requirements of the post-larval stages.