Food preference of Pyroglyphid house-dust mites (Acari)

Ten different rearing media were tested on the house dust inhabiting pyroglyphid mites: Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, D. microceras, D. farinae, D. chelidonis and Euroglyphus maynei. In general dried Daphnia, human skin scales/yeast powder and wheat germ flakes/yeast powder were most succesful. The results create new possibilities for the study of comparative biology and for the investigation of pyroglyphid mites- house dust allergen(s) relationships