The dried fruit mite Carpoglyphus lactis (Acari: Carpoglyphidae) is a suitable alternative prey for Amblyseius herbicolus (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Being generalist predators makes many members of the Phytoseiidae family a more favourable choice for biocontrol. Amblyseius herbicolus, a predator of several phytophagous pest mites and insects, has recently gained focus as an important biocontrol agent. Most studies focus on providing alternative food such as pollens as a way to increase their persistence on the targets when prey is absent. In this study, we evaluated the developmental and reproductive performance of A. herbicolus on two different diets: the dried fruit mite Carpoglyphus lactis and Raupo Typha orientalis pollen. The groups treated with C. lactis took 7 days to reach adulthood, while the groups treated with pollen took 11 days. The pollen-treated mites did not reproduce but this is likely due to the reduction of pollen quality. When given C. lactis, A. herbicolus produced more than 20 eggs over two weeks and the adults survived 18–19 days. The ratio of A. herbicolus egg to C. lactis adult used (1:20, 40 & 120) in the experiment did not affect the final population size. Cannibalism and competition seemed to affect all treatments, especially those cells started with three A. herbicolus eggs. Under laboratory conditions, A. herbicolus can be successfully cultured using C. lactis, which is an advantageous method for the laboratory and mass rearing of A. herbicolus.

Suitability of pollen as an alternative food source for different developmental stages of Amblyseius herbicolus (Chant) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) to facilitate predation on whitefly eggs

Alternative food sources could sustain predator populations by influencing their performances including predation, development, and reproduction in periods of shortage or scarcity of prey under laboratory or fields conditions. The aim of this study was to explore suitability of cattail pollen (Typha orientalis) as an alternative food source for different stages of Amblyseius herbicolus (Chant) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on their predation capacity against the eggs of whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), and the developmental and reproductive responses of the predators to different diet switching regimes under laboratory conditions (T1: nymphs and early adults fed pollen; T2: nymphs fed pollen but early adults fed whitefly eggs; T3: nymphs fed whitefly eggs but early adults fed pollen; T4: nymphs and early adults fed whitefly eggs). Results in the diet switching experiment revealed that although A. herbicolus could prey on whitefly eggs in all the treatment groups, the predatory mites obviously differed in their capacity to prey on the target pest whitefly eggs when fed on cattail pollen and whitefly eggs during different developmental stages. A. herbicolus in group T2 revealed the highest average predation rate, being 1.31, 1.17, and 1.49 times those in groups T1, T3, and T4, respectively. Our results indicated that food sources including cattail pollen and whitefly eggs were suitable for A. herbicolus, because it was able to develop from egg to adult females in all the treatment groups. The mixed diets (T2 and T3 groups) revealed positive effects on the developmental and reproductive parameters of A. herbicolus females, leading to higher oviposition rates and shorter developmental durations when compared with those of groups T1 and T4. A. herbicolus in group T2 revealed the highest average oviposition rates (1.32, 1.26, and 1.81 times those in groups T1, T3 and T4, respectively); however, no significant differences were observed between the T1 and T3 groups. All the eggs of A. herbicolus succeeded in reaching adulthood, but the duration of egg to adult developmental time of A. herbicolus was different among the four treatment groups. The longest and shortest developmental times were obtained in groups T4 and T3, respectively. All the results in the present study demonstrated that A. herbicolus adult females can prey on T. vaporariorum eggs, and cattail pollen was suitable as an alternative or additional food source with high nutritional value for this predatory mite to enhance the predation capacity towards whitefly eggs because A. herbicolus can successfully complete its immature development as well as reproduction.

Communities of predatory mites (Phytoseiidae and Stigmaeidae) in different environments of the Brazilian Pampa

The Brazilian Pampa presents a high diversity of fauna and flora within a mosaic of environments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the assemblages of predatory mites (Phytoseiidae and Stigmaeidae) in three different Pampa environments: Grassland shrub vegetation, Grazing Exclusions fenced for six years and Riparian Forest with tree vegetation. Phytoseiidae and Stigmaeidae were evaluated with a total of 324 plant sampled from nine sites in three environments. Twenty-two Phytoseiidae species and six Stigmaeidae species were found. Riparian Forest presented the highest abundance of predatory mites (243) and the greatest species diversity. Mites were more abundant in Grazing Exclusions (64) than in Grassland (25) environments, but species diversity was similar. In Riparian Forest, the most abundant species were Amblyseius tamatavensis Blommers, Amblyseius herbicolus (Chant) and Agistemus floridanus González-Rodríguez. Arrenoseius gaucho Ferla, Silva and Moraes and Zetzellia malvinae Matioli, Ueckermann and Oliveira were the most abundant in Grassland environment. Our results demonstrate that the Brazilian Pampa has a high diversity of predatory mites and mite communities seem to be affected by the type of environment, showing the importance of this ecosystem as a reservoir of natural enemies.

Diversidade e controle biológico de ácaros em bananeiras em diferentes regiões do estado de São Paulo

Considerando-se que a bananicultura apresenta uma enorme importância socioeconômica global, o conhecimento das pragas e dos inimigos naturais associados é de interesse crescente para produtores e pesquisadores em todo o mundo. O trabalho foi conduzido com o objetivo geral de ampliar o conhecimento sobre a acarofauna em agroecossistemas de cultivos de banana, no estado de São Paulo, com ênfase no monitoramento e manejo de Raoiella indica Hirst (Acari: Tenuipalpidae). Os objetivos específicos foram: 1) Avaliar a acarofauna em plantas de banana e plantas adjacentes, em diferentes regiões do estado de São Paulo; 2) Avaliar o potencial de uso de diferentes espécies de ácaros predadores [Euseius citrifolius Denmark & Muma; Amblydromalus limonicus (Garman & McGregor); Amblyseius herbicolus Chant; Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) transvaalensis Nesbitt (Acari: Phytoseiidae); e Proctolaelaps sp. (Acari: Melicharidae)] e isolados de bactérias simbiontes (Xenorhabdus sp.; Photorhabdus sp.) de nematoides entomopatogênicos (Steinernema sp.; Heterorhabditis sp.); para o controle biológico de R. indica.

Mite fauna of a coffee agroecosystem (Coffea arabicaL.) in the municipality of Monte Alegre do Sul, São Paulo State, Brazil. Part I.

This study aims to assess the mite fauna of coffee plants in the municipality of Monte Alegre do Sul, SP. The sample period was from April 2004 to February 2008. Each month, we sampled 480 leaves and 1,920 fruits from plants of the Coffea arabica L. cv. Mundo Novo. In total 16,062 adult individuals from 30 families representing 81 species of mite (and 1 incertae sedis). Among them, 95% were obtained from leaves, with the Mesostigmata contributing 23 species and 1,805 specimens. The phytoseiid mites were the most abundant, with 1,793 specimens. Seventeen families of Prostigmatid mites were recorded, represented by 48 species and 12,485 individuals. On fruits, the Mesostigmatid mites included three families and eight species. The Prostigmatid mites included nine families and 18 species, totalling 852 individuals. Brevipalpus sp. was the most abundant and frequent species, representing approximately 92% of the Prostigmatid mites. The present work reveals the occurrence of predator mites on coffee plants in the region: Euseius alatus, Amblyseius herbicolus, Iphiseiodes matatlanticae, Armascirus sp.1 and Dactyloscirus sp..

Predation, prey preference and reproduction of predatory mites Amblydromalus limonicus (Garman), Amblyseius herbicolus (Chant) and Neoseiulus cucumeris (Oudemans) (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae) on immature Sericothrips staphylinus Haliday (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), a biocontrol agent of gorse

Gorse, Ulex europaeus, is an invasive weed that has serious agricultural, economic and ecological impacts. Although various biological control agents have been released in New Zealand, these have showed no noticeable impact on gorse populations. One such agent, Sericothrips staphylinus, was introduced to New Zealand in 1990 and although laboratory impact studies indicated it was a highly promising gorse biological control agent, it has not been as effective as was hoped. We hypothesized this was due to predation by natural enemies. This study investigated the predation and oviposition rates of three phytoseiid mites (Amblydromalus limonicus, Amblyseius herbicolus, and Neoseiulus cucumeris) that have been found on gorse plants in New Zealand on three S. staphylinus stages (1st instar larvae, 2nd instar larvae, and prepupa) in both choice and non-choice conditions. In non-choice conditions, A. limonicus had the highest predation and oviposition rate across all three immature stages, and N. cucumeris had the lowest. Amblydromalus limonicus, A. herbicolus, and N. cucumeris all had their highest predation rate when consuming 1st instar larvae, and their lowest predation rate when consuming prepupa. In the choice experiment, all three predatory mite species consumed their highest proportion of 1st instar larvae, and their lowest proportion of prepupae. The oviposition rate of all three mite species in the choice experiment was similar to the oviposition rate when presented with 1st instar larvae only. The results from this study confirm that A. limonicus, A. herbicolus, and N. cucumeris can predate and reproduce on S. staphylinus 1st instar larvae, 2nd instar larvae, and prepupa. This indicates that predation may be the reason why S. staphylinus is an ineffective biocontrol agent in New Zealand.

Phytoseiid mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) from Chile, with descriptions of three new species and a redescription of Chileseius camposi

A total of 40 phytoseiid species has been reported from Chile, including the two species (Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) and Phytoseiulus persimilis (Athias-Henriot) most widely used worldwide for the biological control of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Tetranychidae). In this paper we report nine other species found in new collecting conducted since 1989, including three new species: Amblyseius herbicolus (Chant), Amblyseius tamatavensis Blommers, Arrenoseius robertogonzalezi Trincado & Martin n. sp., Neoseiulus anonymus (Chant & Baker), Neoseiulus bicaudus (Wainstein), Neoseiulus viticolus Trincado & Martin n. sp., Metaseiulus (Metaseiulus) camelliae (Chant & Yoshida-Shaul), Metaseiulus (Metaseiulus) neoflumenis Moraes & Kreiter and Metaseiulus (Metaseiulus) relictus Trincado & Martin n. sp.. Chileseius camposi Gonzalez & Schuster, 1962 is redescribed, and a list of all species presently known from Chile and a key to help in their separation are given. A new name, Proprioseiopsis kargi Trincado nom. nov., is a replacement name for Proprioseiopsis globosus Karg, 1976, a junior homonym of Proprioseiopsis globosus (Gonzalez & Schuster, 1962).