Red palm mite


Raoiella indica, commonly known as the red palm mite, is a species of mite belonging to the family Tenuipalpidae. A pest of several species of palm in the Middle East and South East Asia, it is now becoming established throughout the Caribbean. The invasion of this species is the biggest mite explosion ever observed in the Americas.

Distribution

This species is indigenous to Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Mauritius, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Réunion, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.
It is considered an invasive species in Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Puerto Rico, Saint Martin, Trinidad and Tobago, the US Virgin Islands, Granada, Haiti and Jamaica.
In 2007, the red palm mite was discovered in Florida. As of April, 2009, this pest has been found at almost 400 sites in five counties there.

Description

This species can be distinguished from most other mites by its colour, flat body, long spatulate setae, and droplets on the dorsal body setae. There is also a noticeable absence of the webbing associated with numerous other spider mites.
The red palm mite has a long, bright red, spatulate body. During all stages of life, this species is red, with adult females often showing black patches on their backs after feeding.
Red palm mite eggs are 0.12 mm long and 0.09 wide. The eggs are smooth and can be found in groups attached to the underside of leaves.
Larvae are 0.18–.020 mm in length and only have three pairs of legs. Nymphs are 0.18–0.25 mm long.
Adults are approximately 0.32 mm long. Females are larger than males and have a triangular body.

Life cycle

The egg stage ranges from 6 to 9 days. Development from egg to adult ranges from 23 to 28 days for females, and 20 to 22 days for males. The red palm mite lives for about 26 days.

Hosts

This mite has been found on 32 different palm species. In the Caribbean, this species also infests banana plants, heliconias and gingers.
FamilyLocationSpeciesCommon name
PalmaeCaribbeanAcoelorrhaphe wrightii , Everglades palm, paurotis palm
PalmaeFloridaAdonidia merrilli, Manila palm, Christmas palm
PalmaeCaribbeanAreca catechubetel nut palm
PalmaeCaribbeanAreca, spp.
PalmaeFloridaAiphanes caryotifolia, H.A. Wendl.Coyure palm, ruffle palm, spine palm
PalmaeCaribbeanAiphanes, spp. Willd.Multiple crown palm, ruffle palm
PalmaeFloridaArchontophoenix alexandrae, Alexander palm, king palm
PalmaeCaribbeanBactris plumeriana, Mart.coco macaco, prickly pole
PalmaeFloridaBeccariophoenix madagascariensis, Jum. & H. Perriergiant windowpane palm
PalmaeCaribbeanBismarckia nobilis, Hildebr. & H.A. Wendl.Bismarck palm
PalmaeFloridaButia capitata, Becc.pindo palm, jelly palm
PalmaeCaribbeanCaryota mitis, Lour.fishtail palm
PalmaeCaribbeanChamaedorea, spp. Willd.chamaedorea palm
PalmaeFloridaCoccothrinax miraguama, Becc.Miraguama palm
PalmaeFloridaCocos nucifera, L.coconut palm
PalmaeFloridaCorypha umbraculifera, L.Talipot palm
PalmaeCaribbeanDictyosperma album, H.A. Wendl. & Drude ex Scheff.princess palm, hurricane palm
PalmaeCaribbeanDypsis decaryi, Beentje & J. Dransf.triangle palm
PalmaeCaribbeanDypsis lutescens, Beentje & J.Dransf.areca palm, golden cane palm, butterfly palm
PalmaeCaribbeanElaeis guineensis, Jacq.African oil palm
PalmaeCaribbeanLicuala grandis, H.A. Wendl.licuala palm, ruffled fan palm
PalmaeFloridaLivistona, chinensis R. Br. ex Mart.Chinese fan palm
PalmaeFloridaPhoenix canariensis, Hort. ex ChabaudCanary Islands date palm
PalmaeFloridaPhoenix dactylifera, L.date palm
PalmaeFloridaPhoenix reclinata, Jacq.Senegal date palm
PalmaeFloridaPhoenix roebelenii, O’Brienpygmy date palm, roebelenii palm
PalmaeFloridaPritchardia pacifica, B.C. Seem. & H.A. Wendl.Fiji fan palm
PalmaeFloridaPseudophoenix sargentii, H.A. Wendl. ex Sarg.buccaneer palm, Sargent's cherry palm
PalmaeCaribbeanPseudophoenix vinifera, Becc.cacheo, katié, wine palm
PalmaeFloridaPtychosperma elegans, Blumesolitaire palm, Alexander palm
PalmaeFloridaPtychosperma macarthurii, NicholsMacarthur palm
PalmaeCaribbeanRhapis excelsa, A. Henrylady palm, bamboo palm
PalmaeCaribbeanRoystonea borinquena, O.F. CookPuerto Rico royal palm
PalmaeCaribbeanRoystonea regia, O.F. CookFlorida royal palm
PalmaeFloridaSchippia concolor, Burretsilver pimento palm
PalmaeFloridaSyagrus romanzoffiana, Glassmanqueen palm
PalmaeCaribbeanSyagrus schizophylla, Glassmanarikury palm
PalmaeFloridaThrinax radiata, Lodd. ex J.A. & J.H. SchultesFlorida thatch palm
PalmaeFloridaVeitchia, spp. H.A. Wendl.Manila palm
PalmaeCaribbeanWashingtonia filifera, H.A. Wendl.fan palm
PalmaeFloridaWashingtonia robusta, H.A. Wendl.Mexican fan palm
PalmaeFloridaWodyetia bifurcata, A.K. Irvinefoxtail palm
MusaceaeCaribbeanHeliconia bihai, L.Macaw flower
MusaceaeCaribbeanHeliconia caribaea, Lam.wild plantain, Balisier
MusaceaeCaribbeanHeliconia psittacorum, L. f.parrot flower
MusaceaeCaribbeanHeliconia rostrata, Ruiz & Pavonlobster claw heliconia
MusaceaeFloridaHeliconia, spp.
MusaceaeCaribbeanMusa acuminata, Collaedible banana, plantain
MusaceaeCaribbeanMusa balbisiana, Collawild banana
MusaceaeCaribbeanMusa coccinea Andrewsred-flowering banana
MusaceaeCaribbeanMusa corniculata, Rumph.red banana
MusaceaeFloridaMusa, spp.banana, plantain
MusaceaeCaribbeanMusa acuminata × balbisiana, L.edible banana, plantain
MusaceaeCaribbeanRavenala madagascariensis, Sonn.traveler's tree
MusaceaeCaribbeanStrelitzia reginae, Aitonbird of paradise, crane flower
PandanaceaeCaribbeanPandanus utilis, Boryscrew pine
ZingiberaceaeCaribbeanAlpinia purpurata, K. Schum.red ginger, jungle king/queen
ZingiberaceaeFloridaAlpinia zerumbet, B.L. Burtt & R.M. Sm.shell ginger, pink porcelain lily
ZingiberaceaeCaribbeanEtlingera elatior, R.M. Sm.red torch ginger

Survey, detection and damage

The red palm mite forms colonies on the undersides of leaves. There, they feed on the contents of the cells of the leaves. This feeding can cause localized yellowing of the leaves.
Adults are usually visible to the naked eye.

Dispersal

Like most other plant feeding mites, this species disperses on the wind. Tropical storms and hurricanes can distribute this mite over wide areas.

Management

Chemical control is considered impractical due to the large size of most palms. Some biological control agents have proven useful in the Eastern Hemisphere, including predatory mites, beetles, lacewings and other mite predators.