THE CHICKEN MITE. 11 



tected place for deposition and molting governs the hiding habits of 

 the mite. This may be a crack in a board or only a rough place, or 

 it may be in the dry manure or litter. Here a place for deposition, 

 molting, mating, and resting is provided. A very common hiding 

 place for mites is near the nails that hold the roosts to their supports. 

 When the mites become abundant they will overrun the roost and 

 may be found anywhere in the chicken house. Their presence about 

 a house may be detected by the minute black and white spots (excre- 

 ment) left on the roosts. (See Plate I.) In the spring, when the 

 weather becomes warm, mites come out of their hiding places in 

 great numbers and, not having fed for perhaps a month, run about 

 as tiny gray specks in ravenous haste seeking food. At this season 

 the poultryman can tell easily whether his poultry or coops are 

 infested with mites. A little later, in the case of light infestations, 

 the mites may seem to disappear, but a careful search will show that 

 they have had a feeding of blood and are hiding to reproduce. From 

 now on they come out, perhaps only a few at a time, every night as 

 long as the weather is sufficiently warm. It is important to clear 

 away all manure and trash before trying to kill the mite by spraying 

 with insecticides and to have a roost which may be removed easily, so 

 that the underside may be sprayed. 



PASSING THE WINTER. 



For the mite the winter season is merely a time of lessened activity. 

 During warm spells and in artificially heated houses the mite will 

 feed if fowls are in reach. Since the mite may live at least four or 

 five months, as shown by longevity experiments, there is no chance 

 in the Southern States of cold weather lasting so long that the mite 

 will starve from this cause. Low temperatures may kill the weaker 

 individuals but do not destroy those with more vitality. 



ENEMIES. 



A small black ant (Monomorium minimum Buckley) has been seen 

 to carry away recently-fed mites. Other species, notably the fire ant 

 {Solenopsis geminata Fab.) , destroy many. Certain spiders also have 

 been seen to attack and destroy mites. Whether or not ants and 

 spiders are of much importance in this respect is not definitely 

 known. The author has found, however, that some infestations 

 which Were not quite killed out by spraying seemed to be extermi- 

 nated by natural enemies. 



DISPERSION. 



Mites may be spread in the following ways : 



(1) By infested fowls transferred to clean localities. 



(2) By the use of boxes and crates in which infested fowls have 

 been kept. 



