The influence of conspecific males on spermatophore deposition in the eriophyid mite Aculus fockeui.

Similarly to males of Aculus fockeui on plum, males inhabiting peach showed interest in quiescent female nymphs and behaved non-aggressively in contact with each other. When maintained on fresh leaf arenas for 5 h, males in groups of seven deposited significantly fewer spermatophores per male than solitary ones. The inhibitory effect of the presence of conspecific males on spermatophore deposition rate is indicated and discussed in the context of previous opposite observations on this mite.