Bdellodes lapidaria (Kramer)

Halliday, R. B., 2005, Predatory mites from crops and pastures in South Africa: potential natural enemies of redlegged earth mite Halotydeus destructor (Acari: Penthaleidae), Zootaxa 1079, pp. 11-64 : 26

Bdellodes lapidaria (Kramer)

Bdella lapidaria Kramer, 1881: 444 .

Biscirus lapidarius: Womersley, 1933b: 85 ; 1933c: 106.

Thoribdella lapidaria: Atyeo & Tuxen, 1962: 295 .

Bdellodes lapidaria: Atyeo, 1963a: 133 ; 1963b: 188; Wallace & Mahon, 1976: 70; Gerson & Smiley, 1990: 54; Gerson et al., 2003: 94.

Specimens examined: Site 94­2, 1 female, 1 male, 2 N; Site 94­14, 1 female; Site 94­31, 1 female, 1 male; Site 94­33, 1 female, 1 male; Site 99­17, 1 female.

Bdellodes lapidaria is widespread in Europe, and was first observed in Western Australia in 1931, where it appears to have been accidentally introduced ( Womersley, 1933a, b). It was quickly shown to be beneficial in helping to control the pest collembolan Sminthurus viridis L. ( Womersley, 1933a; Gerson & Smiley, 1990; Gerson et al., 2003). It was deliberately redistributed ( Currie, 1934), and was later found to be widespread in southern Australia and New Zealand ( Atyeo, 1963a, b; Wallace & Mahon, 1971). It was subsequently introduced from Australia into South Africa in an attempt to control the same pest ( Wallace & Walters, 1974). B. lapidaria was found only in low numbers during the recent surveys.