两种捕食螨对苹果园叶螨的控制效果

【目的】以螨治螨是害虫生物防治的一个重要部分,也是果园害虫生态控制的重要措施。通过在苹果园人为释放捕食螨的方法,定量分析加州新小绥螨Neoseiulus californicus(McGregor)和东方钝绥螨Amblyseiusorientalis(Ehara)对苹果园2种害螨(苹果全爪螨Panonychusulmi(Koch)和山楂叶螨TetranychusviennensisZacher)捕食效果,为开展果园害虫生态调控提供科学依据。【方法】于2019年5-10月份在胶东半岛烟台市牟平区果园中释放加州新小绥螨和东方钝绥螨,比较分析释放捕食螨区域与对照苹果树上苹果全爪螨和山楂叶螨种群数量的变化。【结果】2种捕食螨均能适应当地果园生态环境,释放后能够迅速发挥控害作用。其中,加州新小绥螨对叶螨的控制作用达到84.8%-100%,东方钝绥螨对叶螨的控制作用达到90%-100%,且东方钝绥螨的防治效果略优于加州新小绥螨。【结论】加州新小绥螨和东方钝绥螨2种捕食螨在胶东半岛对苹果叶螨防控效果比较理想,均可作为苹果园叶螨生物防治的天敌。     

中国研究与利用捕食螨概况

本文对我国1975年以来的捕食螨应用研究作一综述,内容包括:本地植绥螨的应用,目前生产上应用较多的是尼氏钝绥螨、东方钝绥螨、德氏钝绥螨和拟长毛钝绥螨4种;自国外引进的植绥螨,已利用或建群的有智利小植绥螨、西方盲走螨和伪钝绥螨3种;除上述植绥螨外,本文另介绍了国内初步研究的6个科10个种的捕食螨;此外,本文简述了与利用有关的一些生物学特性,如食性、捕食作用、个体发育、繁殖力、分布及扩散能力等;最后介绍应用效果与本文结语。     

5种杀虫剂对胡瓜钝绥螨的影响

本文采用几种不同方法测定了5种常用杀虫剂对天敌胡瓜钝绥螨Neoseiulus cucumeris雌成蝤和若螨的影响。试验结果表明5种杀虫剂中1％甲胺基阿维菌素乳油在常规使用浓度范围内对胡瓜钝绥螨雌成螨和若螨的毒力都很低,释放胡瓜钝绥螨生防园可选用1％甲胺基阿维菌素乳油来防治鳞翅目害虫;5％虱螨脲（美除）乳油常规使用浓度对胡瓜钝绥螨雌成螨影响较小,但是对若螨的有一定的影响,释放捕食螨生防园尽量不使用5％虱螨脲（美除）乳油,必要时可选用低浓度进行挑治;1％苦参碱可溶性液剂在常规使用浓度范围内对胡瓜钝绥螨雌成螨和若螨毒力均较强,因此释放捕食螨生防园不宜使用;99％绿颖乳油和15％哒螨灵乳油在常规使用浓度范围内对胡瓜钝绥螨的毒性都极强,释放胡瓜钝绥螨生防园如果使用这2种农药会对天敌胡瓜钝绥螨造成毁灭性杀伤,因此在释放捕食螨生防园不可使用这2种杀虫剂。     

胡瓜钝绥螨对日光大棚茄子上烟粉虱的控制作用

为了评价胡瓜钝绥螨在我国日光大棚中对茄子上烟粉虱虱的控制作用。笔者研究了在24～34℃下胡瓜钝绥螨以烟粉为猎物时的发育历期,并在我国山东省寿光市的蔬菜基地上开展了利用胡瓜钝绥螨控制日光大棚茄子上烟粉虱的研究与应用。结果表明:胡瓜钝绥螨能够取食烟粉虱的卵、成虫、若虫及伪蛹;利用胡瓜钝绥螨能有效地控制烟粉虱成虫、卵、若虫种群数量的增长。根据胡瓜钝绥螨和烟粉虱的生物学特性,结合大棚茄子栽培过程中的环境条件,笔者提出了在日光大棚中应用胡瓜钝绥螨控制茄子上烟粉虱的策略:(1)在茄子的整个生长季节(250d)中需释放胡瓜钝绥螨4～6次,苗期每次每株释放5～10头,结果期每次每株释放20～40头;(2)释放胡瓜钝绥螨的生防区比常规化防区减少农药使用18次;(3)安装防虫网、适时释放胡瓜钝绥螨是生防成功之关键,生防区配合使用黄板效果更好。     

纽氏钝绥螨、尼氏钝绥螨及其猎物—桔全爪螨生态学特性的比较研究

本文从天敌与猎物的种群内禀增长力,天敌对猎物不同密度的功能反应及数值反应三个方面来评价和比较纽氏钝绥螨、尼氏钝绥螨时其猎物——枯全爪螨的控制作用。在五种温度下,两种捕食螨的种群内禀增长力都大于桔全爪螨。它们对猎物的功能反应属HollingⅡ型。尼氏钝绥螨的捕食量大于纽氏钝绥螨,在25℃时两种捕食螨捕食量最大,应用Rogers的模型能较好地对试验结果进行模拟。尼氏钝绥螨对桔全爪不同虫态的取食不存在选择效应,纽氏钝绥螨则嗜食若螨和幼螨。两种捕食螨对桔全爪螨的数值反应表明,仅供给桔全爪螨雌成螨作为食物,对两种捕食螨都不利,尤其对尼氏钝绥螨更为明显。综上所述,两种捕食螨能比较有效地控制桔全爪螨种群,当猎物密度较高时,尼氏钝绥螨控制效果优于纽氏钝绥螨,但纽氏钝绥螨控制效果优于纽氏钝绥螨,但纽氏钝绥螨田间种群数量比尼氏钝绥螨稳定。柑桔园中存在其它补充食物时对这两种捕食敌有利。     

茶园螨类调查及利用胡瓜钝绥螨控制卵形短须螨的初步研究

对广东省农业科学院茶叶研究所英德实验茶场进行调查,共有螨类10科,12属,17种.其中捕食性螨类6科,13种,捕食螨优势种为江原钝绥螨Amblyseius eharai.植食性螨类4科,4种,植食性螨类主要为卵形短须螨Brevipalpus obovatus.茶园释放胡瓜钝绥螨Amblyseius cucumeris释放后10～50 d,对卵形短须螨的防治效果达23.30%～81.31%,可有效控制卵形短须螨的为害.并建议在应用中,每株茶树释放一袋胡瓜钝绥螨.     

胡瓜钝绥螨对太平洋细须螨的捕食效能初步研究

胡瓜钝绥螨Amblyseius cucumeris Oudemans能捕食为害蝴蝶兰的害螨---太平洋细须螨Tenuipalpus pacificus Baker的卵、幼螨、若螨和成螨。室内研究了胡瓜钝绥螨雌成螨对太平洋细须螨卵、幼螨、若螨的捕食功能反应。结果表明,随着太平洋细须螨密度的增加,胡瓜钝绥螨雌成螨对太平洋细须螨的捕食数量也随之上升,捕食功能反应曲线符合Holling II型方程。胡瓜钝绥螨雌成螨对太平洋细须螨卵的控制能力显著强于对幼螨和若螨的控制能力,a/Th值分别为165.8、79.2和63.8。在猎物密度一定时,由于胡瓜钝绥螨个体间存在相互竞争和相互干扰作用,随着捕食螨密度的提高,捕食螨平均捕食量逐渐减少。     

不同猎物及密度对巴氏新小绥螨和拉戈钝绥螨同类相残和集团内捕食作用的影响

明确不同猎物及密度下巴氏新小绥螨Neoseiulus barkeri与拉戈钝绥螨Amblyseius largoensis(Muma)的同类相残和集团内捕食作用,为其协同应用控制橡胶树害螨提供依据.在室温27±1℃、湿度75％±5％、光周期12 L∶12D 条件下,以六点始叶螨 Eotetranvchus sexmaculatus(Riley)、比哈小爪螨Oligonychus biharen(Hirst)和东方真叶螨Eutetranychus orientalis(klein)为集团外猎物,观察巴氏新小绥螨和拉戈钝绥螨对集团内和集团外猎物的捕食选择行为,以及不同集团外猎物密度下两种捕食螨对同种和异种捕食螨的捕食作用.巴氏新小绥螨和拉戈钝绥螨对异种个体及集团外不同猎物的捕食偏好性及捕食时间存在明显差异.巴氏新小绥螨偏好取食集团外猎物,异种捕食螨拉戈钝绥螨残存率达到80.00％以上;拉戈钝绥螨偏好取食集团外猎物六点始叶螨和比哈小爪螨,而当东方真叶螨存在时,其更偏好取食异种捕食螨巴氏新小绥螨(残存率为26.67％);发生集团内捕食时,拉戈钝绥螨为集团内捕食者,而巴氏新小绥螨为集团内猎物.集团外猎物密度可显著影响巴氏新小绥螨和拉戈钝绥螨相残作用,尤以猎物六点始叶螨对巴氏新小绥螨和东方真叶螨对拉戈钝绥螨影响最为明显,其充足时比无猎物时捕食量分别下降了 68.85％和62.90％.巴氏新小绥螨和拉戈钝绥螨的集团内捕食分别以比哈小爪螨和六点始叶螨的影响最大,猎物充足时比无猎物时捕食量下降了 80.00％和69.44％,但拉戈钝绥螨在以东方真叶螨为猎物时集团内捕食受猎物密度影响较小,猎物充足时取食量与猎物不足时接近,比无猎物时捕食量只下降20.83％.集团外猎物六点始叶螨、比哈小爪螨存在时,巴氏新小绥螨和拉戈钝绥螨表现为偏好选择集团外猎物,密度增加对两种植绥螨的同类相残和集团内捕食作用有明显抑制作用,但东方真叶螨充足与否,拉戈钝绥螨对巴氏新小绥螨的集团内捕食作用影响差异不显著.     

不同猎物及密度对巴氏新小绥螨和拉戈钝绥螨同类相残和集团内捕食作用的影响

明确不同猎物及密度下巴氏新小绥螨Neoseiulus barkeri与拉戈钝绥螨Amblyseius largoensis(Muma)的同类相残和集团内捕食作用,为其协同应用控制橡胶树害螨提供依据。在室温27±1℃、湿度75%±5%、光周期12 L:12 D条件下,以六点始叶螨Eotetranvchus sexmaculatus(Riley)、比哈小爪螨Oligonychus biharen(Hirst)和东方真叶螨Eutetranychus orientalis(klein)为集团外猎物,观察巴氏新小绥螨和拉戈钝绥螨对集团内和集团外猎物的捕食选择行为,以及不同集团外猎物密度下两种捕食螨对同种和异种捕食螨的捕食作用。巴氏新小绥螨和拉戈钝绥螨对异种个体及集团外不同猎物的捕食偏好性及捕食时间存在明显差异。巴氏新小绥螨偏好取食集团外猎物,异种捕食螨拉戈钝绥螨残存率达到80.00%以上;拉戈钝绥螨偏好取食集团外猎物六点始叶螨和比哈小爪螨,而当东方真叶螨存在时,其更偏好取食异种捕食螨巴氏新小绥螨(残存率为26.67%);发生集团内捕食时,拉戈钝绥螨为集团内捕食者,而巴氏新小绥螨为集团内猎物。集团外猎物密度可显著影响巴氏新小绥螨和拉戈钝绥螨相残作用,尤以猎物六点始叶螨对巴氏新小绥螨和东方真叶螨对拉戈钝绥螨影响最为明显,其充足时比无猎物时捕食量分别下降了68.85%和62.90%。巴氏新小绥螨和拉戈钝绥螨的集团内捕食分别以比哈小爪螨和六点始叶螨的影响最大,猎物充足时比无猎物时捕食量下降了80.00%和69.44%,但拉戈钝绥螨在以东方真叶螨为猎物时集团内捕食受猎物密度影响较小,猎物充足时取食量与猎物不足时接近,比无猎物时捕食量只下降20.83%。集团外猎物六点始叶螨、比哈小爪螨存在时,巴氏新小绥螨和拉戈钝绥螨表现为偏好选择集团外猎物,密度增加对两种植绥螨的同类相残和集团内捕食作用有明显抑制作用,但东方真叶螨充足与否,拉戈钝绥螨对巴氏新小绥螨的集团内捕食作用影响差异不显著。     

斯氏钝绥螨对西花蓟马和豆大蓟马若虫的捕食功能反应

【目的】为明确斯氏钝绥螨Amblyseius swirskii对西花蓟马Frankliniella occidentalis和豆大蓟马Megalurothrips usitatus不同龄期若虫的捕食量及控制潜能。【方法】在25℃和75%相对湿度下,研究了斯氏钝绥螨雌成螨对两种蓟马1龄和2龄若虫的捕食喜好性、功能反应以及捕食螨自身的干扰反应。【结果】斯氏钝绥螨无论对西花蓟马还是豆大蓟马,在各自1龄和2龄若虫共存状况下,对1龄若虫的喜好性均显著高于2龄。捕食螨对两种蓟马1龄若虫的捕食量和喜好性无显著差异,但对西花蓟马2龄若虫的捕食量和喜好性显著大于豆大蓟马2龄若虫。斯氏钝绥螨雌成螨对西花蓟马和豆大蓟马的1龄若虫和2龄若虫的捕食功能反应均符合HollingⅡ型方程。捕食螨对西花蓟马和豆大蓟马1龄若虫的日均捕食量均随其自身密度的增加而逐渐降低。【结论】斯氏钝绥螨的捕食量与蓟马的种类和龄期有关,也与捕食螨的密度有关。     

捕食螨化学生态研究进展

捕食螨是重要的生物防治因子。早在20世纪70年代就发现了捕食螨的性信息素,许多研究证明植物挥发物在捕食螨向猎物定位过程中发挥着至关重要的作用,影响捕食螨寻找猎物的植物挥发物来源于未受害植物、机械损伤植物、猎物危害植物、非猎物危害植物。人工合成的植物挥发物组分对捕食螨具有引诱作用,但引诱活性低于虫害诱导植物释放的挥发性混合物。捕食螨的饲养条件、饥饿程度、学习与经验行为等会影响捕食螨对植物挥发物的反应。介绍了信息素与植物挥发物对捕食螨的作用,并讨论了目前存在的问题和研究前景。     

Functionally different predators break down antipredator defenses of spider mites

Prey that lives with functionally different predators may experience enhanced mortality risk, because of conflicts between the specific defenses against their predators. Because natural communities usually contain combinations of prey and functionally different predators, examining risk enhancement with multiple predators may help to understand prey population dynamics. It is also important in an applied context: risk enhancement with multiple biological control agents could lead to successful suppression of pests. We examined whether risk enhancement occurs in the spider mite Tetranychus kanzawai Kishida (Acari: Tetranychidae) when exposed to two predator species: a generalist ant, Pristomyrmex punctatus Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), and a specialist predatory mite, Neoseiulus womersleyi Schicha (Acari: Phytoseiidae). We replicated microcosms that consisted of spider mites, ants, and predatory mites. Spider mites avoided generalist ants by staying inside their webs on leaf surfaces. In contrast, spider mites avoided specialist predatory mites that intruded into their webs by exiting the web, which obviously conflicts with the defense against ants. In the presence of both predators, enhanced mortality of spider mites was observed. A conflict occurred between the spider mites’ defenses: they seemed to move out of their webs and be preyed upon by ants. This is the first study to suggest that risk enhancement occurs in web‐spinning spider mites that are exposed to both generalist and specialist predator species, and to provide evidence that ants can have remarkable synergistic effects on the biological control of spider mites using specialist predatory mites.     

Evaluation of predatory mites and Acramite for control of twospotted spider mites in strawberries in north central Florida

Greenhouse and field experiments were conducted from 2003 to 2005 to determine the effectiveness of two predatory mite species, Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot and Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor), and a reduced-risk miticide, Acramite 50 WP (bifenazate), for control of twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, in strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne). In greenhouse tests, three treatments consisting of releases of P. persimilis, N. californicus, and an untreated control were evaluated. Both species of predatory mites significantly reduced twospotted spider mite numbers below those found in the control during the first 3 wk of evaluation. However, during week 4, twospotted spider mite numbers on the plants treated with P. persimilis increased and did not differ significantly from the control. Field studies used releases of P. persimilis and N. californicus, applications of Acramite, and untreated control plots. Both N. californicus and P. persimilis significantly reduced populations of twospotted spider mite below numbers recorded in the control plots. During the 2003-2004 field season P. persimilis took longer than N. californicus to bring the twospotted spider mite population under control (< 10 mites per leaflet). Acramite was effective in reducing twospotted spider mite populations below 10 mites per leaflet during the 2003-2004 field season but not during the 2004-2005 field season, possibly because of a late application. These findings indicate that N. californicus releases and properly timed Acramite applications are promising options for twospotted spider mite control in strawberries for growers in north Florida and other areas of the southeast.     

Bt棉田边缘杂草带对棉田内叶螨发生的影响

2003～2004年,在冀南棉区系统研究了棉田边缘杂草带对棉田内叶螨发生的影响。试验设3个处理：转Bt基因棉化防田(使用杀螨剂控制棉叶螨且保留棉田边缘杂草)、转Bt基因棉对照田(保留棉田边缘杂草)和转Bt基因棉除草田(去除棉田边缘杂草)。结果表明,2003年6月28日～8月7日,处理间的叶螨发生量和有螨株率差异明显。2003年叶螨发生高峰期(7月28日),对照田的百株平均螨量达834头,分别是化防田、除草田的9.4倍和11.5倍;对照田的有螨株率的峰值为34.7%,分别高于化防田和除草田6.4%和12%;棉叶螨的总计值,对照田分别是化防田和除草田的5.8倍和5.5倍。2004年7月10日～8月29日,对照田的百株螨量和有螨株率明显高于除草田和化防田。2004年叶螨发生高峰期（8月10日）,对照田的百株平均螨量达1 222头,分别是化防田、除草田的4.3倍和23.4倍;对照田的有螨株率的峰值达100%,分别比除草田和化防田多75%和87%;棉叶螨的总计值,对照田分别是化防田和除草田的4.9和9.7倍。两年中,除草田和化防田的百株螨量和有螨株率峰值出现日期有所不同。对照田内,棉田边缘杂草至所调查的棉株距离同螨害指数呈显著(P＜0.05)或极显著(P＜0.01)的负相关。本研究表明,去除棉田边缘杂草的棉田,叶螨发生始期较晚且发生量较少;棉田边缘杂草到取样点的距离与棉叶螨的为害程度呈直线负相关,距离越近,叶螨的发生为害越重。     

PCR-based identification of the pathogenic bacterium, Acaricomes phytoseiuli, in the biological control agent Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

The predatory mite, Phytoseiulus persimilis is an important biological control agent of herbivorous spider mites. This species is also intensively used in the study of tritrophic effects of plant volatiles in interactions involving plants, herbivores, and their natural enemies. Recently, a novel pathogenic bacterium, Acaricomes phytoseiuli, has been isolated from adult P. persimilis females. This pathogen causes a characteristic disease syndrome with dramatic changes in longevity, fecundity, and behavior. Healthy P. persimilis use spider mite-induced volatiles to locate prey patches. Infection with A. phytoseiuli strongly reduces the attraction to herbivore-induced plant volatiles. The loss of response to herbivore-induced plant volatiles along with the other disease symptoms can have a serious impact on the success of biological control of spider mites. In this study, we have developed a molecular tool (PCR) to detect the pathogenic bacterium in individual predatory mites. PCR primers specific for A. phytoseiuli were developed based on 16S ribosomal DNA of the bacterium. The PCR test was validated with DNA extracted from predatory mites that had been exposed to A. phytoseiuli. A survey on different P. persimilis populations as well as other predatory mite species from several companies that rear predatory mites for biological control revealed that the disease is widespread in Europe and is restricted to P. persimilis. The possibility that the predatory mites get infected via their prey Tetranychus urticae could be eliminated since the PCR test run on prey gave a negative result.     

Potential lethal and non-lethal effects of predators on dispersal of spider mites

Predators can affect prey dispersal lethally by direct consumption or non-lethally by making prey hesitate to disperse. These lethal and non-lethal effects are detectable only in systems where prey can disperse between multiple patches. However, most studies have drawn their conclusions concerning the ability of predatory mites to suppress spider mites based on observations of their interactions on a single patch or on heavily infested host plants where spider mites could hardly disperse toward intact patches. In these systems, specialist predatory mites that penetrate protective webs produced by spider mites quickly suppress the spider mites, whereas generalist predators that cannot penetrate the webs were ineffective. By using a connected patch system, we revealed that a generalist ant, Pristomyrmex punctatus Mayr (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), effectively prevented dispersal of spider mites, Tetranychus kanzawai Kishida (Acari: Tetranychidae), by directly consuming dispersing individuals. We also revealed that a generalist predatory mite, Euseius sojaensis Ehara (Acari: Phytoseiidae), prevented between-patch dispersal of T. kanzawai by making them hesitate to disperse. In contrast, a specialist phytoseiid predatory mite, Neoseiulus womersleyi Schicha, allowed spider mites to escape an initial patch, increasing the number of colonized patches within the system. Our results suggest that ants and generalist predatory mites can effectively suppress Tetranychus species under some conditions, and should receive more attention as agents for conservation biological control in agroecosystems.     

Pest species diversity enhances control of spider mites and whiteflies by a generalist phytoseiid predator

To test the hypothesis that pest species diversity enhances biological pest control with generalist predators, we studied the dynamics of three major pest species on greenhouse cucumber: Western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood), and two-spotted spider mites, Tetranychus urticae Koch in combination with the predator species Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot. When spider mites infested plants prior to predator release, predatory mites were not capable of controlling spider mite populations in the absence of other pest species. A laboratory experiment showed that predators were hindered by the webbing of spider mites. In a greenhouse experiment, spider mite leaf damage was lower in the presence of thrips and predators than in the presence of whiteflies and predators, but damage was lowest in the presence of thrips, whiteflies and predators. Whitefly control was also improved in the presence of thrips. The lower levels of spider mite leaf damage probably resulted from (1) a strong numerical response of the predator (up to 50 times higher densities) when a second and third pest species were present in addition to spider mites, and (2) from A. swirskii attacking mobile spider mite stages outside or near the edges of the spider mite webbing. Interactions of spider mites with thrips and whiteflies might also result in suppression of spider mites. However, when predators were released prior to spider mite infestations in the absence of other pest species, but with pollen as food for the predators, we found increased suppression of spider mites with increased numbers of predators released, confirming the role of predators in spider mite control. Thus, our study provides evidence that diversity of pest species can enhance biological control through increased predator densities.     

田间植物对捕食螨的影响Ⅱ：地面覆盖物的影响

捕食螨是重要的生物防治因子，影响捕食螨发挥生物防治效果的因素很多，生草栽培可改善田间小气候，有利于增加捕食螨等天敌种群数量，从而达到控制害虫的目的。本文主要综合分析了地面覆盖物对捕食螨的影响及其原因、生草选择原则，同时阐述其研究趋势和前景。     

Spatial distribution of predators and prey affect biological control of twospotted spider mites by Phytoseiulus persimilis in greenhouses

We evaluated the effects of predator release pattern and prey distribution on rate of suppression of the twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari, Tetranychidae) and visual damage to the ornamental plant, Impatiens wallerana Hook.f., in a greenhouse. Sixteen impatiens plants were arranged in a square and infested with the same total number of spider mites distributed either evenly (equal numbers on all plants) or clumped (divided equally among the 4 central plants), simulating a “hot spot.” The predatory mite, Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot, was released at a 1:4 predator:prey ratio based on total spider mites in the experimental unit, but the pattern of release was either even or clumped, which simulated broadcast or point-release strategies, respectively. Nine days after predator release, spider mite populations were reduced in all treatments, but only in the clumped pest-clumped predator treatment were spider mites undetectable. Poorest pest suppression occurred in the clumped spider mite-even predator treatment. Eighteen days after predator release, spider mites were eliminated in all treatments, but a reduction in average plant damage occurred only in treatments in which the predator release pattern matched the spider mite distribution (i.e., even-even or clumped-clumped) with the greatest reduction in the even-even treatment. Results suggest that there is an advantage to releasing predators in “hot spots” provided that the recommended predator:prey ratio is maintained within infested patches. If more uniform predator releases are planned, overall predator numbers need to be kept sufficiently high so that the predator:prey ratio of 1:4 shown to prevent damage on impatiens is achieved in higher-density spider mite patches.     

Interactions in a tritrophic acarine predator-prey metapopulation system V: Within-plant dynamics of Phytoseiulus persimilis and Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Phytoseiidae, Tetranychidae)

To investigate the relative contributions of bottom-up (plant condition) and top-down (predatory mites) factors on the dynamics of the two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae), a series of experiments were conducted in which spider mites and predatory mites were released on bean plants. Plants inoculated with 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 adult female T. urticae were either left untreated or were inoculated with 3 or 5 adult female predators (Phytoseiulus persimilis) one week after the introduction of spider mites. Plant area, densities of T. urticae and P. persimilis, and plant injury were assessed by weekly sampling. Data were analysed by a combination of statistical methods and a tri-trophic mechanistic simulation model partly parameterised from the current experiments and partly from previous data. The results showed a clear effect of predators on the density of spider mites and on the plant injury they cause. Plant injury increased with the initial number of spider mites and decreased with the initial number of predators. Extinction of T. urticae, followed by extinction of P. persimilis, was the most likely outcome for most initial combinations of prey and predators. Eggs constituted a relatively smaller part of the prey population as plant injury increased and of the predator population as prey density decreased. We did not find statistical evidence of P. persimilis having preference for feeding on T. urticae eggs. The simulation model demonstrated that bottom-up and top-down factors interact synergistically to reduce the density of spider mites. This may have important implications for biological control of spider mites by means of predatory mites.