A new method to estimate the population size of coconut mite, Aceria guerreronis, on a coconut.

Studies of the coconut mite, Aceria guerreronis, often require accurate assessment of the population density on individual infested coconuts. Here an efficient and accurate method was developed to estimate its population density on an infested coconut. The coconut mites were removed by washing the bracts and surface of an infested coconut with 30 ml of a detergent solution. Shaking the wash for 5 s allowed the mites to distribute uniformly. The number of mites in the first 1 ml of the first wash (X) yielded a very accurate predictor of the total number of mites on a coconut (Y): Y = 30.1X (R2 = 0.99; p <0.0001), also confirming that the wash was indeed homogeneous. The advantages and disadvantages of this method are discussed.