Larvae of trombiculid mites (Acarina: Trombiculidae) in wild birds in Slovak and Polish Carpathians

The larvae of trombiculid mites were surveyed in wild birds at four localitie's in Slovakia and one locality in Poland (all localities are situated in the Carpathian Mountains) from 1999 to 2000. The total of 1354 birds of 59 species was examined between July and September. The trombiculid mites were found in 169 (12%) birds. The highest prevalences (37% and 18%) were detected at two forest localities in the Velka Fatra Nits., the lowest prevalence (2%) in the High Tatras above the tree line. Prevalences of more than 20% were found in Turdus philomelos (50%, 5 positive, 10 examined), Prunella modularis (41%, 48/116), Troglodytes troglodytes (39%, 11/28), Emberiza citrinella (29%, 4/14), Turdus torquatus (29%, 2/7) and Erithacus rubecula (26%, 64/244). Larvae of the trombiculid mites belong to common parasites in birds in the Carpathians in late Summer, especially in birds Which are feeding on the ground. Mite larvae were determined as Neotrombicula vernalis (Willmann, 1942) in Erithacus rubecula (Krempna, Beskid Niski Mts., Poland) and Prunella modularis (Blatnica, Velka Fatra Mts., Slovakia).