Systematics studies of mites associated with plants, with particular interest in the families Tenuipalpidae, Tetranychidae, and Phytoseiidae.

• Phytoseiidae of the United States.
  • H. A. Denmark, G. A. Evans and W. C. Welbourn.
• New Schizotetranychus species from Florida.
  • R. A. Ochoa, G. A. Evans and W. C. Welbourn.
• Catalog of the mites of Florida.
  Our goal is to create a catalog of the mites of Florida. To date we have collected and identified over 650 species from the state, primarily from plants. Current work focuses on collecting mites from natural habitats throughout Florida.
  • W. C. Welbourn, G. M. Donaldson-Fortier, H. A. Denmark, & G. A. Evans
• Systematics of the terrestrial Parasitengona.
  Mites of the cohort Parasitengona share a complex pattern of postembryonic development and in general a partitioning of ontogeny into parasitic/dispersal and predatory phases. Taxonomic studies of only the parasitic larva instar or only the heteromorphic postlarval instars have resulted in divergent classifications. Current work focuses on rearing and correlating larval and postlarval instars, description and/or redescription of species using all active instars, and compiling a catalog of species.
  • W. C. Welbourn
• Mites associated with bat guano.
  Bat guano in caves frequently supports large populations of arthropods. One of the largest groups of arthropods in bat guano are the Acari. Current work includes sorting, identifying and describing guano mites from samples collected in several caves in the southwestern USA.
  • W. C. Welbourn