scholarly journals Intra-guild vs extra-guild prey: effect on predator fitness and preference of Amblyseius swirskii (Athias-Henriot) and Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

2009 ◽  
Vol 100 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Buitenhuis ◽  
L. Shipp ◽  
C. Scott-Dupree
Keyword(s):  
Frankliniella Occidentalis ◽  
Western Flower Thrips ◽  
Predation Rate ◽  
Predatory Mites ◽  
Amblyseius Swirskii ◽  
Neoseiulus Cucumeris ◽  
Predator Species ◽  
Flower Thrips ◽  
Fast Development ◽  
High Predation Rate

AbstractThe relationships between the predatory mites, Amblyseius swirskii (Athias-Henriot) and Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) (Acari: Phytoseiidae), and their prey, western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), were investigated to determine the effects of predation on intra-guild or extra-guild prey and predator preference. Life history characteristics of both predatory mites were measured when fed eggs and larvae of the other predator species and compared to data obtained when the predators were fed thrips larvae. In addition, choice tests were conducted to determine if the predators had a preference for different prey or if they were indiscriminate predators. Amblyseius swirskii appears to be an important intra-guild predator of N. cucumeris juveniles because of a high predation rate and a preference for N. cucumeris juveniles over thrips. Neoseiulus cucumeris is also an intra-guild predator of A. swirskii juveniles; however, it has a lower predation rate than A. swirskii. Contrary to intra-guild predation theory, intra-guild prey was an equally good or better food source than thrips (extra-guild prey) for both predators, based on high oviposition rates and fast development times. The results of this study indicate a high potential for negative interactions between A. swirskii and N. cucumeris when used together in biological control of thrips.

Effect of Pesticide Mixtures on the Survival of the Predatory Mite Neoseiulus cucumeris (Acarina: Phytoseiidae)

2007 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 311-319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather E. Lash ◽  
Daniel F. Warnock ◽  
Raymond A. Cloyd
Keyword(s):  
Fungal Pathogens ◽  
Frankliniella Occidentalis ◽  
Western Flower Thrips ◽  
Predatory Mite ◽  
Water Control ◽  
Neoseiulus Cucumeris ◽  
Thiophanate Methyl ◽  
Pesticide Mixtures ◽  
Control Programs ◽  
Flower Thrips

This study was conducted to determine the effect of 2 insecticides/miticides, spinosad and abamectin, and 2 fungicides, thiophanate-methyl and fenhexamid, when applied alone or mixed in all combinations, on the survival of Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans). Neoseiulus cucumeris is a predatory mite utilized in greenhouses for managing western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande. The deutonymph and adult stages of N. cucumeris were directly exposed to the pesticide treatments or a water control. Overall, the deutonymphs were more susceptible to the pesticide treatments, based on percent survival 24 h after treatment, than the adults. Five of the 7 pesticide mixtures containing spinosad and 4 of the 7 mixtures containing abamectin resulted in deutonymph mortality values between 50 and 69%. Thiophanate-methyl alone and in combination with either spinosad or abamectin resulted in >35% mortality of the deutonymphs. Based on the results of this study, spinosad and abamectin, when used alone or in mixture with thiophanate-methyl will reduce N. cucumeris populations by killing the deutonymphs. This information is important to greenhouse managers who want to use pesticide mixtures to manage arthropod pests and fungal pathogens without disrupting biological control programs for western flower thrips.

scholarly journals Provision of astigmatid mites as supplementary food increases the density of the predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii in greenhouse crops, but does not support the omnivorous pest, western flower thrips

BioControl ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Pirayeshfar ◽  
Seyed Ali Safavi ◽  
Hamid Reza Sarraf Moayeri ◽  
Gerben J. Messelink
Keyword(s):  
Food Source ◽  
Frankliniella Occidentalis ◽  
Western Flower Thrips ◽  
Predatory Mite ◽  
Amblyseius Swirskii ◽  
Supplemental Food ◽  
Greenhouse Crops ◽  
Dog Food ◽  
Flower Thrips ◽  
Astigmatid Mites

AbstractAstigmatid mites can be used as prey for mass rearing of phytoseiid predators, but also as a supplemental food source to support predator populations in crops. Here we evaluated the potential of six species of astigmatid mites (living or frozen) as alternative food for the predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot in greenhouse crops. All prey mites tested were suitable for predator oviposition. In general, oviposition was greater when prey mites were reared on dog food with yeast than when they were reared on wheat bran with yeast. Amongst prey items provided as frozen diet, larvae of Thyreophagus entomophagus (Laboulbene), Acarus siro L. and Lepidoglyphus destructor (Schrank) that had been reared on dog food with yeast, resulted in the highest oviposition rates of A. swirskii. T. entomophagus larvae as frozen diet resulted in the shortest preimaginal developmental time of A. swirskii. On chrysanthemum plants, we found that the greatest increase in predator density occurred when living mites of T. entomophagous were used as a food source. This increase was greater than when predators were fed cattail pollen, a commonly used supplemental food. Effects on predators of providing living A. siro and L. destructor, or frozen larvae of T. entomophagous as food, were comparable with provision of pollen. Use of supplemental food in crops can be a risk if it is also consumed by omnivorous pests such as western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande. However, we showed that both frozen and living mites of T. entomophagous were unsuitable for thrips oviposition. Hence, we believe that provision of prey mite species increases A. swirskii density, supporting biological control of thrips and other pests in greenhouse crops.

scholarly journals Investigation of biological plant protection in protected culture of pepper

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 15-21
Author(s):  
Viktor József Vojnich ◽  
Hajnalka Darázsi Ledóné ◽  
Adrienn Szarvas ◽  
Árpád Ferencz ◽  
Zsuzsanna Deák ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Continuous Monitoring ◽  
Frankliniella Occidentalis ◽  
Plant Protection ◽  
Western Flower Thrips ◽  
Predatory Mites ◽  
Thrips Tabaci ◽  
Annual Plants ◽  
Orius Laevigatus ◽  
Flower Thrips ◽  
Tobacco Thrips

The aim of the study was to determine the effectiveness of regularly applied biological control by continuous monitoring of pests with the help of color traps (sticky sheets) and flower tests with joint species identification of the useful insect to determine the extent to which native useful insects can settle next to the introduced predatory ones. The latter process is to be facilitated by growing a flowering mixture of annual plants at one of the experimental sites, which provides adequate feeding and hiding place for beneficial insects.The experiment was performed in one pepper forcing period. The main pest insects are: western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis), tobacco thrips (Thrips tabaci).Useful insects in the experiment: predatory mites (Amblyseius spp.) and predatory flower bugs (Orius laevigatus).

scholarly journals Phytoseiid predatory mites can disperse entomopathogenic fungi to prey patches

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gongyu Lin ◽  
Claude Guertin ◽  
Sean-Anthony Di Paolo ◽  
Silvia Todorova ◽  
Jacques Brodeur
Keyword(s):  
Frankliniella Occidentalis ◽  
Predatory Mites ◽  
Mite Species ◽  
Predatory Mite ◽  
Amblyseius Swirskii ◽  
Infection Rates ◽  
Neoseiulus Cucumeris ◽  
Phytoseiid Mites ◽  
First Instar ◽  
Young Leaves

AbstractRecent studies have shown that predatory mites used as biocontrol agents can be loaded with entomopathogenic fungal conidia to increase infection rates in pest populations. Under laboratory conditions, we determined the capacity of two phytoseiid mites, Amblyseius swirskii and Neoseiulus cucumeris to deliver the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana to their prey, Frankliniella occidentalis. Predatory mites were loaded with conidia and released on plants that had been previously infested with first instar prey clustered on a bean leaf. We examined each plant section to characterize the spatial distribution of each interacting organism. Our results showed that A. swirskii delivered high numbers of conidia to thrips infested leaves, thereby increasing the proportion of thrips that came into contact with the fungus. The effect was larger when thrips infestation occurred on young leaves than on old leaves. Neoseiulus cucumeris delivered less conidia to the thrips infested leaves. These patterns result from differences in foraging activity between predatory mite species. Amblyseius swirskii stayed longer on plants, especially within thrips colonies, and had a stronger suppressing effect on thrips than N. cucumeris. Our study suggests that loading certain predatory mite species with fungal conidia can increase their capacity to suppress thrips populations by combining predation and dispersing pathogens.

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