A survey on the mites of stored grain in Greece

Abstract

A quantitative and qualitative survey of mites associated with stored products in Greece involved the examination of wheat, maize, barley, wheat flour, bran and residues from three types of storage facilities (silos, farm stores, flour mills). Seventeen species belonging to eleven families and four orders were found. The taxa Androlaelaps casalis casalis (Berlese), Acaropsis docta (Berlese) and Acarophenax sp. were new to the fauna of Greece while Cheyletus eruditus (Schrank), Lepidoglyphus destructor (Schrank). Tyrophagus putrescentiae, Schrank, Tydeus sp., Stigmaeidae, and Bdellidae are recorded for the first time in Greek stored products. The most frequent and abundant taxa were C. eruditus and L. destructor followed by Tydeus sp. Farm stores were the most infested apparently due to the absence of control measures taken in that type of facility.