THE CANADIAN ENTOMOLOGIST. 



237 



ENTOMOLOGY FOR BEGINNERS. 



On Two Mites. 



BY THE EDITOR. 



But little is generally known regarding the life history and habits of 

 mites. They have not yet engaged the attention of many naturalists, still 

 their tribes are many, and the hosts of individuals composing them " too 

 numerous to mention." We purpose to present our readers with a few 

 facts relating to two of the better known species of mites. 



The Red Spider, Tetranychus telarius, is a serious pest to gardeners, 

 and one which all those who have to do with plants under glass are more 

 or less familiar with. Fig. 22 represents the male of this species very much 



enlarged, the mite itself being scarcely 

 visible to the unaided eye. The char- 

 acteristics of this genus of mites seem to 

 show a special affinity with the spiders in 

 their habit of spinning webs, for which 

 purpose the claws of their feet are speci- 

 ally adapted. The mouth has a barbed 

 sucking apparatus by which the sap is 

 sucked from the minute vessels in the 

 leaves of the plants they attack. These 

 mites vary very considerably in color, 

 influenced much in this respect by the 

 food they devour ; some are greenish and 

 marked with brown specks on the sides, 

 others are rust-colored, or reddish, or 

 even brick red, the latter being the color 

 with which horticulturists are most familiar. It is probable that most of 

 the individuals acquire more or less of a reddish hue when fully mature. 

 The natural size of this mite is indicated by the dot enclosed in the small 

 ring on the side of figure. 



This mite spins a web on the under side of the leaves, of the finest 

 and most delicate texture, the threads being so slender that one fails to 

 see them even with the help of a magnifying glass until after they are 



