The ectoparasites Dermanyssus gallinae and Megninia ginglymura: bioecology and natural enemies in commercial egg-laying hens.

Egg-laying hens and free and wild birds may introduce pathogenic organisms and ectoparasites to farms linked to commercial poultry farm systems. Two mite species are reported as an economic problem for the poultry industry worldwide: Dermanyssus gallinae (Dermanyssidae) and Megninia ginglymura (Analgidae). The present study aimed to evaluate the bioecology of mite fauna especially D. gallinae and M. ginglymuraassociated with commercial egg-laying hens, and recognize which are infestation periods, favorable environments and efficient predators of these ectoparasites. Megninia ginglymura was the most abundant in feathers and more frequent in the battery cage than in free-range chickens, representing 98% of the species. Both of these husbandry systems showed high infestations at different times. On the other hand, D. gallinae was the most abundant species in traps (98.9%), being found mostly in the winter from free-range chickens, with more than twice the mites when compared with battery cage chickens. This work revealed a possible new tool for biological control of ectoparasites: Cheyletus malaccensis could be considered the main natural enemy with the best potential for controlling these ectoparasites associated with laying hens and should be taken into consideration for future biological control studies, becoming an additional strategy for controlling D. gallinae principally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]