New Records for Aceria anthocoptes (Acari: Eriophyidae) Occurring on Canada Thistle in Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming, U.S.A

Canada thistle [Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.] growing in eastern Colorado, Wyoming and western Nebraska were surveyed for the presence and distribution of Aceria anthocoptes (Nal.). Of the 34 sites surveyed in 2004, mites were abundant at 42%, present in lesser numbers at 52%, and not present at 6% of the sites. In 2005, two new sites were added and ten sites sampled in 2004 were revisited. Of these 12 sites, mites were abundant at 17%, present to a lesser extent at 58%, and not present at 25% of the sites. The results demonstrate that Canada thistle growing in this region commonly harbor A. anthocoptes. How long A. anthocoptes has been present in this region is unknown, however, anecdotal evidence demonstrating a dramatic decline in the population of Canada thistle at one Colorado site from 2000 to 2007 suggests that the mite may have been present since 2002.