A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON MITES (ACARI) ASSOCIATED WITH THE SMALL SPRUCE BARK BEETLE IPS AMITINUS (COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONIDAE: SCOLYTINAE) IN WESTERN SIBERIA

Abstract

The small spruce bark beetle Ips amitinus has recently been found in two West Siberian regions: Tomsk and Kemerovo. Here, we collected and identified the mites associated with I. amitinus that naturally colonized branches and twigs of Siberian pine, Pinus sibirica, in Western Siberia, Russia. Five mites species were revealed: Dendrolaelaps quadrisetus (Digamasellidae), Proctolaelaps hystricoides (Melicharidae), Iponemus leionotum and I. asiaticus (Tarsonemidae), as well as Ereynetes (Huntereynetes) sp. (Ereynetidae). Interestingly, phoresy of two species of Iponemus was observed on one host beetle. Three of the five species are known predators and parasitoids of eggs or larvae of bark beetles and could be targeted for biological control of I. amitinus in Russia.