Simple in-vitro feeding system for northern fowl mites (Acari: Macronyssidae).

The use of Parafilm membranes for in-vitro feeding of northern fowl mites, Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Canestrini & Fanzago), is described. A membrane stretched in two perpendicular directions, folded, heat-sealed, inflated, and twisted at the ends to form a sphere allowed a high percentage (greater than 80%) of surviving adult female mites to feed on whole chicken blood. A high percentage (7 of 10) of protonymphs also fed through the membrane. Mites were able to feed from the same sac for 3 d and oviposited on the sac. This technology has potential applications for use in rearing O. sylviarum and other hematophagous arthropods, and for physiological experimentation.