Mite research at the USDA has a long and distinguished history. The major focus of USDA acarologists has always been plant-feeding mites, especially those associated with agricultural crops. Effective pest management relies heavily on sound taxonomic information, and acarologists at the Systematic Entomology Laboratory have played a leading role worldwide by setting the standard for systematic research on plant-feeding mites. Frequently, the need for more detailed information about mite biology and their ecological associations has led USDA acarologists to increase the scope of their research beyond strict taxonomic studies and to work in close collaboration with other scientists, pest managers, students, farmers, beekeepers, quarantine officers, and other interested parties.