Predatory mites from crops and pastures in South Africa: potential natural enemies of redlegged earth mite Halotydeus destructor (Acari: Penthaleidae) Author Halliday, R. B. text Zootaxa 2005 1079 11 64 journal article 50949 10.5281/zenodo.170355 ab581412-8bf4-4718-b555-e389591088a9 1175­5326 170355 Bdellodes hessei (Womersley) Scirus hessei Womersley, 1933a : 111 . Bdellodes hessei : Meyer & Ryke, 1959a : 379 ; Atyeo, 1963b : 181 ; Wallace & Mahon, 1976 : 82 . Specimens examined : Site 94­1 , 2 males , 1 N; Site 94­3 , 4 N; Site 94­5 , 1 N; Site 94­7 , 2 males ; Site 94­11 , 1 female , 2 males , 2 N; Site 94­13 , 1 female , 3 males , 14 N; Site 94­16 , 1 female , 3 males , 1 N; Site 94­17 , 1 N; Site 94­19 , 2 N; Site 94­20 , 1 N; Site 94­27 , 1 male , 1N; Site 94­31 , 1 male , 1 N; Site 94­33 , 2 males ; Site 94­35 , 1 N; Site 99­9 , 1 male ; Site 99­19 , 1 female ; Site 99­20 , 1 male ; Site 99­22 , 1 female ; Site 99­23 , 1 female ; Site 99­25 , 1 male ; Site 99­26 , 3 females ; Site 99­27 , 1 N; Site 99­29 , 1 female , 1 male ; Site 2000­1 , 11 females , 7 males ; Site 2000­4 , 1 male ; Site 2000­8 , 1 male , 1 N; Site 2000­9 , 1 female ; Site 2000­10 , 1 female ; Site 2000­11 , 1 N; Site 2000­13 , 1 female ; Site 2000­19 , 1 female ; Site 2000­20 , 4 females ; 2000­21 , 1 male ; Site 2000­24 , 2 females ; Site 2000­26 , 1 male ; Site FT204­13, Malmsbury, 28 July 1965 , M. M. H. Wallace, 2 females ; Site FT204­19, Caledon, 29 July 1965 , M. M. H. Wallace, pasture, 1 female , 1 male ; Site FT204­ 23, 14 miles west of Swellendam, 29 July 1965 , M. M. H. Wallace, 2 females , 1 N; Site FT204­28, Albertinia, 30 July 1965 , M. M. H. Wallace, pasture, 1 female ; Site FT204­ 30, Robertson, 30 July 1965 , M. M. H. Wallace, 5 females ; Site FT204­31, Worcester, 30 July 1965 , M. M. H. Wallace, pasture, 4 females , 3 males ; Firgrove, April 1965 , M.C. Walters, pasture, 2 females , 4 males ; Stellenbosch, 27 August 1967 , M. C. Walters, capeweed in vineyard, 1 female , 1 male ; Bathurst, Jan 1965 , P. Graham, grassland, 1 female . Bdellodes hessei was described from Stellenbosch ( Womersley, 1933a ), is found throughout Cape Province ( Wallace & Mahon, 1976 ), and is described as the best known species of Bdellidae in South Africa ( Meyer et al. , 1973 ). In the present survey it was found to be widespread but never abundant. It feeds on Collembola , and appears to have been accidentally introduced into Australia , where it occurs around the city of Perth ( Wallace & Mahon, 1976 ). B. hessei has been found associated with RLEM on vegetables in the Western Cape Province ( Meyer, 1996 ), and may be of some value as a predator.