Non-phytophagous mite species in remnant oak forests in Samsun Province, Türkiye

Abstract: Oak trees (Quercus spp.) are iconic forest trees and a number of mite species have
been recorded from them. Turkey oak (Quercus cerris L.) grows naturally from central and
south-eastern Europe to Asia Minor. There have been no specific studies of the nonphytophagous mite species of oak trees in Türkiye. Therefore, this study was conducted on that group of species on Quercus cerris in Samsun Province, Türkiye in 2021. Leaf sampling was done regularly during the vegetation period. Six phytoseiid, five tydeoid, two tarsonemid and one winterschmidtiid species in six families were identified. It appears that the Turkey oak is an important host and refuge for predatory mite species, including phytoseiids.