Seasonal abundance of Allothrombium monochaetum and Allothrombium pulvinum in Navarra-Nafarroa (northern Spain), with notes on larval host preference and rate of parasitism

In this paper we report on the seasonal abundance of velvet mite larvae of Allothrombium pulvinum Ewing and Allothrombium monochaetum Goldarazena and Zhang in a meadow located in the mediterranean Navarra-Nafarroa region (northern Spain). Larvae of A. monochaetum peaked in numbers on Aphis fabae in mid-June while larvae of A. pulvinum peaked in the third week of July. Both species preferred the aphid thorax as attachment site. We also provide a list of aphid hosts of both mites and observed density of parasites on the hosts.