View source for Raoiella indica

{{TaxLinks|LnkTenuipalpidae}}
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[[File:Raoiella indica.jpg|250px|thumb|''Raoiella indica'' (click on image to enlarge it)<br/>Author(s): Eric Erbe - digital colorization by Chris Pooley<br/>Source: [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Raoiella_indica.jpg Wikimedia Commons]]]
<font color="#800000">'''''Raoiella indica'''''</font> Hirst, 1924 - (red palm mite)

The mite is considered to be native in Africa and Asia and has spread to Central America (first record in 2004, see [[International Journal of Acarology (2006) 32, 331-332|Etienne and Flechtmann, 2006]]). Subsequently spreading to South America ([[Neotropical Entomology (2008) 37, 739-740|Vásquez et al., 2008]]) and to southern parts of North America ([[Florida Entomologist (2009) 92, 276-291|Cocco and Hoy, 2009]]). It is mainly a pest of coconut and other palms, causing yellowing and necrosis on the fronds, up to death of the leaflets. However, it also feeds on other plants (e.g. bananas). In some areas coconut yield has been halved due to infestations by the mite.

Like other mites, it can disperse through the air. The use of pesticides, e.g. as systemics, has been practised but is usually not economical on coconut and ornamental palms. Research has therefore focused on biological control, with emphasis on predatory mites like ''[[Amblyseius largoensis (predator)|Amblyseius largoensis]]''.
{{VN
|en=red palm mite
|es=acaro rojo de la palmera
|fr=acarien rouge du palmier
|pt=ácaro vermelho das palmas
}}
The adult is about 1/4th to 1/3rd of a mm long and red, sometimes with dark markings. The body bears long setae which form droplets near the end. The development from egg, through the larval, protonymph and deutonymph stages, to the adult lasts about 3-4 weeks.


<gallery widths=200px caption="Other images of Raoiella indica (Wikimedia Commons - click to enlarge)">
File:Raoiella indica - red palm mite head.jpg|details of head
File:Raoiella indica - red palm mite egg.jpg|egg
File:Raoiella indica - red palm mite damage to pam leaf.jpg|infestation on palm leaves
</gallery>

[[Category:Tenuipalpidae]]