31 



Pi str i but ion 



What were probably the first and the earliest samples of the 

 northern fowl mite in the U.S. were described by 5anks ( 1 906 ) from 

 specimens collected in 1895 in North Carolina. Since then, the northern 

 fowl mite has been found in most of the warmer areas of the U.S. and 

 Mexico (Benbrook, 1965; James and Harwood, 1969). Some claim northern 

 fowl mites are found world-wide in the plummage of chickens (Baker et 

 al., 1956). Citings from Great Britain (Taylor, 1930), Hawaii (Garrett 

 and Haramoto, 1967), and New Zealand (Thomas and Watson, 1958) sub- 

 stantiate this claim. 

 Hosts and methods of dissemination 



The northern fowl mite occurs on at least 22 species of birds and 

 domestic poultry (Benbrook, 1965), and Avian hosts are considered to be 

 the true hosts (Cameron, 1933). Many papers cite records of northern 

 fowl mites found on species of native wild birds (Boyd et al., 1956; 

 Hanson et al . , 1957; Foulk and Matthysse, 1365; Phi 11 is and Cromroy, 

 1972; Phil lis et a!., 1976) ana exotic caged birds (Sulzberger and 

 Kaminstein, 1936; Anonymous, 1951). Several host lists are available 

 (Peters, 1933; Cameron, 193?; Strandtmann and Wharton, 1958). 



Cameron (1938) lists rodents and man as accidental hosts. Other 

 such hosts are rabbits (5 ikes and Chamberlain, 195*0, the house mouse, 

 Mus museulus (Drummond, I35 7 ), the big brown bat, Eptes-icus fuscus 3 the 

 cave bat, Myotis velifev (George and Strandtmann, I960), and the norway 

 rat, Rutins norvegious (Hall and Turner, 1976; Miller and Price, 1977). 

 The northern fowl mite could not be induced to feed on man in the lab 

 (Sikes and Chamberlain, '35-0 • 



