Life expectancy
The shape of the shields, and number and arrangement of setae on the upper surface of the body are characteristic of Cheyletus eruditus.
Life expectancy
Environmental conditions affect life expectancy.
At 76 per cent relative humidity (RH) and with Lepidoglyphus destructor (grocers' itch mite) as prey, maximum longevity was:
- 107 days at 18.5°C
- 67 days at 22°C
- 56 days at 25°C
Initial starvation of females prolongs life:
- newly moulted females kept at room temperature and 80-85 per cent RH were starved for 46 days
- from the 47th day onwards, Acarus siro (flour mite) was given as food
- the lifespan of these females averaged 77.3 days as opposed to 56.8 for continuously fed ones
Longevity is also increased at low temperatures:
- some members of a population kept at -1.7 to +2.0˚C and 80-90 per cent RH survived for about six months and were still able to reproduce when exposed to favourable conditions
- the mites went into a quiescent state for the duration of the cold conditions and did not feed or reproduce. (Summers and Witt, 1972; Zdárková and Pulpán 1973; Barker, 1991)