Management of mould mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) (Acarina: Acaridae): a case study in stored animal feed.

The article reports on the development of an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy to manage infestations of mold mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae in stored animal feed, due to the increasing importance of these mites as pests of feed processing and storage facilities in Australia. The strategy involved limiting the moisture content of the processed feed, admixing vegetable oil to some feed, strict hygiene practice in and around the processing and storage facility, and rejection of infested grain at the receiving point. Moreover, an evaluation of the seven contact insecticides and the fumigant phosphine was conducted for their effectiveness against the mold mite to assess their potential integration into the IPM strategy.