Determination of mite species in dried figs in Aydin

This study was conducted to determine mite species in dried figs in Aydın, Turkey between August 2014 and November 2016. 141 dried fig samples were taken from packing plants and producer's houses and storages in Buharkent, Germencik, İncirliova, Koçarlı, Köşk, Kuyucak, Merkez, Nazilli, Sultanhisar and Yenipazar districts. In addition, 24 dried fig samples were kept in storage about 8 months and the changes at mite species and their densities in stored figs were determined. As a result, 8 mite species belonging to 3 orders and 5 families were identified from the dried figs. Acarus siro, Carpoglyphus lactis, Glycyphagus domesticus, Lepidoglyphus destructor and Tyrophagus putrescentiae as pest species and Blattisocius tarsalis, B. mali and Cheyletus eruditus as predatory mite species were found. Out of 141 samples, 133 were infested with mites and the infestation ratio was 94.3%. No mite was detected in 5.7% of the samples. Tyrophagus putrescentiae was the most common pest species with an infestation rate of 72.3% (102/141 samples) and, followed by C. lactis with 34.8% (49/141 samples), A. siro, L. destructor and G. domesticus with 0.7% contamination, respectively. Carpoglyphus lactis was found to be the highest with 10488 individuals/kg in contaminated fig samples. Blattisocius tarsalis was the most common predatory mite species with an infestation rate of 77.3%. Blattisocius mali and C. eruditus were found in 9.2% and 4.3% of dried figs, respectively. However, this study showed that the dried fig samples kept in storage were always open to contamination with mites, and mite species and their densities were changed.