Classical biological control of the red palm mite, Raoiella indica (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) in the US

Classical biological control of the red palm mite is being attempted by evaluating phytoseiid predators obtained from Mauritius. In Mauritius, the red palm mite is not considered a pest on coconuts and it was not found to attack other palms. Dominant natural enemies were the phytoseiids. These phytoseiids morphologically are similar to Amblyseius largoensis, which is already found in islands of the Caribbean and in Florida. As a result, molecular and morphological analyses are being conducted to resolve the taxonomic status of the phytoseiids from Mauritius.