Survey and seasonal fluctuation of soil mites and spiders inhabiting cotton and broad bean plants grown in clay and sandy soils at Beni-Suef governorate

Seasonal fluctuation and survey of some soil mites as well as spiders inhabiting cotton and broad bean plants at Beni-Suef governorate throughout the 2022–2023 seasons grown in clay and sandy soil. The investigation revealed 45 mite species in 32 genera and 22 families into four groups. The total number of the collected mite groups was 56, 187, 67, and 319 individuals in clay soil, and 29, 91, 20, and 124 individuals in sand soil for Astigmatina, Mesostigmata, Oribatida, and Prostigmata underneath cotton plants, while the number of mites was 26, 94, 37, and 234 individuals in clay soil, and 8, 28, 15, and 71 individuals for the same groups in sandy soil underneath broad bean plants, respectively. Soil mites inhabiting clay soil were more numerous than those inhabiting sandy soil. The prostigmatid and mesostigmatid mite species were most abundant in sandy and clay soil, followed by oribatid and astigmatid mites. For the spiders, five families presented by eight species in eight genera were recorded on cotton and broad bean plants grown in clay and sandy soil. The three most dominating families are Lycosidae, Salticidae, and Theridiidae.