U. S. D. A., B. E. Bui. 97, Part VI. D. F. I. I., February 24, 1912. 



PAPERS ON DECIDUOUS FRUIT INSECTS AND INSECTICIDES. 



THE PEACH BUD MITE. 



(Tarsonemus waitei Banks, MSS.) 



By A. L. Quaintance, 



In Charge of Deciduous Fruit Insect Investigations. 



INTRODUCTION. 



For the past 15 or 20 years nurserymen in the East have complained 

 of a well-defined trouble of peach nursery stock, resulting from injury 

 to the tender terminal bud of the principal shoot. The injury causes 

 the cessation of further upward growth of the shoot and results in 

 the development from the lateral buds of numerous branches, a 

 condition very objectionable in stock of this class where a single 

 vigorous shoot is desired. There have been several references in 

 literature to this trouble, and entomologists are divided as to the 

 cause, though in most instances a minute mite has been noted as 

 associated with it. The mite in question, however, has not hereto- 

 fore been examined by a specialist in the Acarina and its systematic 

 position and relationships determined. Mr. Banks has recently been 

 able to do this from material which was obtained from a large nursery 

 in the environs of Philadelphia, and submitted to him during Septem- 

 ber, 1911. 



The mite is now identified as Tarsonemus waitei Banks. 



As the trouble is an important one, it has appeared appropriate to 

 bring together at this time, so far as is possible, the recorded facts 

 concerning it, with remarks on injuries caused by some other species 

 of Tarsonemus. 



HISTORY. 



Prof. M. B. Waite, of the Department of Agriculture, was undoubt- 

 edly first to call attention to this affection, upon which he made care- 

 ful observations a number of years ago. He was able to determine 

 that a mite was the cause of the trouble, and presented the results 

 of his observations before the Biological Society of Washington at 

 its meeting October 23, 1897, under the title " A New Peach and Plum 



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