Phytoptus avellanae

The hazelnut Knospengallmilbe ( Phytoptus avellanae ), often also called hazel Gallmilbe, is a Gallmilbe from the family of Phytoptidae.

Features

The 0.2 millimeters large, white- colored mites can also be seen in the adult stage only with the magnifying glass. The body is elongated, shaped and made ​​both sides secondary curled. They have like all kinds of the superfamily Eriophyoidea only two pairs of legs.

The larvae and nymphs are similar except for their size, the adult mites.

Occurrence

The hazelnut Knospengallmilbe occurs in Europe and North America.

Way of life

The animals induce their bile mainly in buds of Commons, hazel (Corylus avellana ), but are also of bile buds of hazel (Corylus colurna ) and the Lambert hazel (Corylus maxima) detected. Recognizable is the infestation by significantly enlarged buds, so-called round buds that can occur as early as late winter. These reach a diameter 10 to 15 millimeters, with the hazel tree, they can even be up to 30 millimeters in size. The buds of leaves are often spread apart, but the buds do not drive off. From the month of May they dry.

The mites infest the fresh buds in June or July. For thousands of eggs, the larvae hatch. The infestation is visible when the mites begin to suck the plant juices from the buds of hazel. The buds enlarge and change, and become the habitat for mites, in which they hibernate.

Enemies

Natural enemies of hazelnut Knospengallmilben are predatory mites of the genus Kampimodromus, including Kampimodromus aberrans and Kampimodromus coryli.