Topical Toxicity of Pesticides Used in Virginia Vineyards to the Predatory Mite, Neoseiulus fallacis (Garman)

2002 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 329-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica A. Metzger ◽  
Douglas G. Pfeiffer

Slide dip bioassays were conducted to determine the direct toxicity of insecticides, acaricides, fungicides, and herbicides commonly used in vineyards in Virginia to Neoseiulus fallacis (Garman) (Acari: Phytoseiidae), a predatory mite under consideration as a biological control agent for spider mites (Acari: Tetranychidae). Among the insecticides and acaricides tested in the laboratory, carbaryl, azinphos-methyl, phosmet, cyhexatin, and pyridaben caused significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher mortality than the control treatment. None of the fungicides tested were toxic to the predator, but three herbicides caused high mortality. Glufosinate caused 100% mortality after 24 h, and both oxyfluorfen and paraquat had adverse effects on N. fallacis. The use of materials that were found to be toxic to the predator may not be compatible with releases of N. fallacis into Virginia vineyards. However, incorporating materials that appear to have no direct toxicity to the predator into an integrated pet management program could improve the survival rate of released N. fallacis while still protecting this high value crop from other pests.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samira Khodayari ◽  
Nayereh Hamedi

Spider mites (family Tetranychidae) are important pests of many agricultural, medicinal and ornamental plants worldwide. They possess needle-like chelicerae which pierce plant cells, often feeding on chloroplasts on the under surface of the leaf and cause upper leaf surfaces develop whitish or yellowish stippling. Additionally spider mites produce silk webbing which covers the leaves. In this chapter we present common control methods of these mites including biological control with emphasizing on the prey preference, switching behavior and mutual interference of a biological control agent, Phytoseius plumifer (Canestrini and Fanzago). Additionally the side effects of two acaricides, abamectin and fenpyroxymate, on this predator will be discussed.


2002 ◽  
Vol 134 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.R. Gillespie ◽  
D.M.J. Quiring

AbstractLarvae of the predatory gall midge Feltiella acarisuga (Vallot) diapaused as prepupae in tightly woven, brown, silk cells on leaf surfaces. Photoperiod alone, at day lengths from 16 to 8 h did not induce diapause at either 20 or 25 °C. A low incidence of diapause was induced by a combined photoperiod and thermoperiod of an 8-h day at 25 °C and a 16-h night at 15 °C. The incidence of diapause was higher under these conditions if the larvae were fed diapausing spider mites, Tetranychus urticae (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae). Because F. acarisuga only diapauses at daylengths equivalent to mid-winter, when its prey, T. urticae, is also in diapause, it can be used as a biological control agent for T. urticae in British Columbia greenhouses throughout most of the growing season.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 118
Author(s):  
Matej Vidrih ◽  
Anja Turnšek ◽  
Magda Rak Cizej ◽  
Tanja Bohinc ◽  
Stanislav Trdan

In 2015, we studied the efficiency of the predatory mite Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) for suppression of the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae in a field experiment at a hop plantation. We randomly arranged four treatments in a three-block experiment. Fungicides were used in all treatments; insecticides were used in all treatments except the predatory mite treatment and acaricides were used in only two treatments. A single inundative release of the mite N. californicus was carried out on 4 July. On four different dates (10 June, 17 July, 29 July and 9 August), we counted the eggs and the mobile stages (larvae, nymphs and adults) of the two-spotted spider mite in all four treatments. In the treatment with the predatory mite, we established the fewest eggs and mobile stages of T. urticae 14 days after the release of the predator. The selected acaricides in our research acted in a primarily ovicidal manner, but we did not detect satisfactory effects on the mobile stages of the two-spotted spider mite. This result suggests the emergence of resistance of two-spotted spider mites to the acaricides hexythiazox and abamectin. Our research established comparable effects of the predatory mite N. californicus and acaricides, and further improvement of the efficiency would require release of the natural enemy into a hop plantation in mid-June, followed by a second release three weeks later. The costs of acaricide use in our experiment were from 12.7-fold (two sprayings of hexythiazox, and a single spraying with abamectin) to 17.8-fold (single treatments of hexythiazox and abamectin) lower than those of a single release of the biological control agent in question. The results of our study represent a starting point for future research, which could achieve satisfactory results in suppressing two-spotted spider mites on a hop plantation by repeated use of the predatory mite N. californicus.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. ec03037
Author(s):  
Sofía Jiménez Jorge ◽  
Peterson R. Demite ◽  
Gilberto J. de Moraes

Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) is an important family of predatory mites, with some species being commercialized as biological control agents for the control of phytophagous mites and small insects. In Peru, 65 species of this family have been recorded so far, with Amblyseius being the most diverse genus, with 11 species. The aim of this study is to report for the first time the presence of Amblyseius tamatavensis Blommers, 1974 in Peru. In South America, this species has so far been reported only in Brazil and Venezuela. In Peru, A. tamatavensis was found on orange plants [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck] in the district of Pangoa, department of Júnin. In the laboratory, collected specimens were observed to feed on Phyllocoptruta oleivora (Ashmed, 1879) (Acari: Eriophyidae) and Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande, 1895) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Studies to verify the potential of this species as a biological control agent for pests occurring in Peru should be conducted. A key to the Amblyseius species recorded in Peru is presented.


BioControl ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milena O. Kalile ◽  
André C. Cardoso ◽  
Angelo Pallini ◽  
Morgana M. Fonseca ◽  
Simon L. Elliot ◽  
...  

2000 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 197-201 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.D. Pratt ◽  
B.A. Croft

Abstract The predatory mite Neoseiulus fallacis (Garman) is an important biological control agent of spider mites in landscape plants produced in the Pacific Northwest. Using pesticide toxicity information from the SELCTV database and recent literature reports, we estimated toxicity of several general pesticide classes to N. fallacis, compared susceptibility of N. fallacis to 3 other predatory mites and developed summary tables of pesticide toxicity to N. fallacis. Pesticide classes ranged from low or non-toxic to N. fallacis (i.e., organosulfur) to highly toxic (i.e., oxime carbamate). Pesticide susceptibility data for N. fallacis within or between chemical classes was similar to data for either of Typhlodromus pyri Scheuten, Galendromus occidentalis Nesbitt, or Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot. While all pesticide types (i.e., insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, etc.) contained representatives that were highly toxic to N. fallacis, various compounds were rated low or non-toxic. On average, insecticides were most toxic to N. fallacis, fungicides least toxic and herbicides intermediate. Probability of exposure and integration of N. fallacis into current control practices are discussed.


1991 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 155-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell F. Mizell ◽  
Daniel E. Schiffhauer

Abstract Neosieulus (Cydnodromus) collegae (De Leon) (Acari:Phytoseiidae) is a heretofore relatively unknown species of predatory mite. In an olfactometer, female predators were attracted to kairomones produced by Tetranychus urticae Koch, Oligonychus ilicis (McGregor), O. ununguis (Jacobi), Eotetranychus hicoriae (McGregor), and E. sexmaculatus (Riley). Predators were repelled by odors emanating from lima bean leaves treated with Mavrik (fluvalinate) and Ammo (cypermethrin), but unresponsive to those treated with Tame (fenpropathrin) and Talstar (bifenthrin). This predator species was tolerant of residues of Vendex (hexakis), Omite (propargite), Pentac (dienochlor) and Avid (abamectin) but not to residues of Tame (fenpropathrin) and Kelthane (dicofol). Eggs of T. urticae treated with Tame (fenpropathrin) were toxic to the predator when consumed. Female N. collegae would not consume eggs treated with Avid (abamectin); starvation reduced fecundity. Prey eggs treated with Vendex (hexakis) and Omite CR (propargite) were consumed without affecting predator fecundity or mortality. Eggs treated with Pentac (dienochlor) or Kethane (dicofol) were consumed, but significantly reduced predator fecundity. Predators released into plots in a commercial nursery during winter in north Florida reduced field populations of T. urticae within 20–30 days, if released in high numbers. Neosieulus collegae may have significant potential as a biological control agent in nursery crops for control of mite pests.


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