Experimental and Applied Acarology (2004) 32, 151-170

Charlotte Danielsen, Lise Stengård Hansen, Gösta Nachman and Christian Herling (2004)
The influence of temperature and relative humidity on the development of Lepidoglyphus destructor (Acari: Glycyphagidae) and its production of allergens: a laboratory experiment
Experimental and Applied Acarology 32 (3), 151-170
Abstract: Laboratory experiments with Lepidoglyphus destructor on a diet of mainly whole wheat were conducted to study the mite's development and production of a specific allergen, Lep d 2, at four different temperatures (5, 10, 15 and 20 °C) and three levels of relative humidity (ca. 70-88%). Statistical models were used to analyse the role played by temperature, relative humidity and time in explaining the observed number of L. destructor and the amount of allergen produced. Moreover, the life stage distributions of the mites were determined and related to the population growth. Based on a statistical model the intrinsic rate of natural increase, rm, was computed for a range of different temperatures and relative humidities. High relative humidity in combination with temperatures at about 25 °C will lead to the highest rm (ca. 0.15 day^-1). The highest concentration of Lep d 2 was 3 µg g^-1 grain, found at 20 °C and high relative humidity at a mite density of 254 mites g^-1 grain. The concentration of allergens in the grain was best explained by a model that incorporated both the current and the cumulative numbers of mites.
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Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Gösta Nachman

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution
population dynamics/ epidemiology

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Lepidoglyphus destructor		Denmark