Sampling Methods to Detect and Estimate Populations of Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) (Sarcoptiformes: Acaridae) Infesting Dry-Cured Hams
Amoah, B., Hagstrum, D., Subramanyam, B., Campbell, J.F., Schilling, M.W., & Phillips, T.W. (2017). Journal of Stored Products Research, 73, 98–108.
The ham mite is a serious pest of dry-cured ham for which absolute population sampling can be difficult. This study developed and compared four sampling methods — trapping in an aging room, estimating density on aging hams, counting mites on drying racks, and vacuum sampling from the floor — and introduced a food-baited trap for detection and monitoring. Trap counts were positively correlated with mite density in a room, supporting the trap’s use as a practical monitoring tool in commercial facilities.