Factors affecting ambulatory dispersal in the predaceous mite Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Experiments conducted in the laboratory showed that different biotic and abiotic factors affected the ambulatory dispersal behaviour of Neoseiulus californicus. The experimental set-up comprised dwarf alfalfa (Medicago polymorpha) infested or unifested by Tetranychus urticae. Temperatures were measured with thermocouples. Trials were performed at three temperatures, three prey densities, three light intensities, two relative humidities (RHs) and two vegetative states of alfalfa plants, turgid and withered. Deutonymphs were the most dispersive followed by young ovipositional females. High temperatures (35°C), high light intensities (40 000 lux) and drought-stressed alfalfa increased the dispersal of N. californicus. The availability of food in the environment and high moisture (80% RH) slowed down dispersion. The main factors which seem to elicit dispersal behaviour are the deprivation of food and high temperatures which result in an increase in the walking speed of the mite. In addition, other factors tested either increase or reduce the ambulatory dispersal of N. californicus. According to our results, individuals could move from ground cover into apple trees before spring. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998     

Functional response of Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae) to Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) on strawberry leaves

Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) is a predatory mite employed for biological control of the agricultural pest Tetranychus urticae (Koch). We explored whether environmental differences, in this case the trichome densities of abaxial leaf surfaces of strawberry cultivars (‘Maehyang’ and ‘Sulhyang’ varieties) affect the functional response of adult female N. californicus preying on immature stages (egg, larva and nymph) of T. urticae. We also evaluated the functional response of N. californicus to eggs of T. urticae at different temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30 and 35°C). We conducted a logistic regression of the proportion of prey consumed as a function of initial prey density to identify functional response types, and used nonlinear least‐squares regression and the random predator equation to estimate attack rates and handling times. The functional response of adult female N. californicus to T. urticae was not influenced by non‐glandular trichomes on abaxial leaves but was affected by temperature. Overall, adult female N. californicus exhibited a type 2 functional response to T. urticae. The handling time of N. californicus was highest (1.9970 h) against T. urticae nymphs. The attack rate did not change much at 15–30°C, but was significantly higher at 35°C. The handling time decreased significantly with increasing temperature at 15–35°C. At 35°C, the attack rate was highest (0.2087) and the handling time was lowest (0.9511 h).     

Effect of long-term feeding history on functional and numerical response of Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

The functional and numerical responses of the predatory mite Neoseiulus californicus to eggs and protonymphs of Tetranychus urticae were studied on excised strawberry leaflet discs under laboratory conditions (25 ± 1°C, 75–85% RH and 16L : 8D). Four strains of the phytoseiid were compared: three originated from a long-term mass-rearing with different food (T. urticae, Dermatophagoides farinae and Quercus spp. pollen) and under controlled conditions, while the fourth was directly collected from a natural environment and therefore considered a wild strain. The different nutritional histories affected the responses of N. californicus on tetranychids. On the whole, the wild strain gave better performance. When egg prey was administered this strain and the one mass-reared on two-spotted spider mites showed similar functional as well as numerical responses; on the contrary, when protonymphs were furnished, the wild strain did not differ from that mass-reared on pollen. The strain previously fed on house dust mites gave the worst performance and also showed the lowest percentages of females in the progeny. The functional responses obtained were predominantly type II curves. In all cases considered, no stored energy was allocated for reproduction and, with the exception of the wild strain on eggs, the prey was exploited less efficiently as the consumption increased. In spite of the differences evidenced in this experiment all strains were characterized by high predation and oviposition rates. Thus the results obtained suggest no drawbacks in the use of mass-reared N. californicus as biocontrol agents. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998     

Spatial distribution and coincidence of Neoseiulus californicus and Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Phytoseiidae, Tetranychidae) on strawberry

In strawberry greenhouses in La Plata (Buenos Aires, Argentina), Tetranychus urticae is a major pest and Neoseiulus californicus is its most important established phytoseiid predator. The purpose of this study was to determine the spatial distribution and coincidence of N. californicus and T. urticae on strawberry. T. urticae populations exhibited density variations that were followed, with some temporal delay, by those of the predator. In general terms, N. californicus exhibited lower aggregation than T. urticae. The index of dispersion (I) of T. urticae had values significantly greater than 1 in 100% of the sampling dates. The percentage of infested leaflets increased with prey density in a curvilinear way, ranging from 80 to 100% when density was higher than 100 individuals/leaflet. N. californicus had values of I higher than unity in 86.7% (G1) and 53.8% (G2) of the cases. TaylorÕs b and IwaoÕs values were greater than 1 for both populations, this indicating aggregation. IwaoÕs results showed larger aggregation units of T. urticae (=53.24) than of N. californicus (=3.61), probably due to its higher fecundity and oviposition behaviour of laying eggs in clumps. Both populations were overdispersed, although in general terms, N. californicus exhibited lower aggregation than T. urticae. This would create refuges for the prey, thus increasing the persistence of the system. Index of coincidence of predator (Ic) was high most of the time even at low densities of both populations, decreased abruptly at the end of an interaction cycle and was similar at greenhouse and plant spatial scales. The high spatial coincidence of N. californicus with T. urticae suggests an important dispersal capacity of the predator and a high ability to detect leaflets with prey. The refuge index for the prey decreased with predator density and was higher at greenhouse scale than at plant scale, both at similar predator densities. At greenhouse scale and despite high predator density, the prey had a 10%-refuge, which would lead to the system persistence. Results of the present study suggest that N. californicus is a promising established natural enemy for controlling T. urticae on strawberry.     

应用实验种群生命表评价加州新小绥螨对土耳其斯坦叶螨和截形叶螨的控制能力

【目的】为了解加州新小绥螨Neoseiulus Californicus(McGregor)对土耳其斯坦叶螨Tetranychus turkestani(Ugarov etNikolski)和截形叶螨Tetranychus truncate(Ehara)的控制能力。【方法】采用实验种群生命表方法进行评价。【结果】以土耳其斯坦叶螨为食时加州新小绥螨的净增值率(R_0=33.236)、内禀增长率(r_m=0.218),大于以截形叶螨为食时的值(R_0=32.458,r_m=0.207),而世代平均周期(T=16.340)和种群倍增时间(t=3.173)小于以截形叶螨为食时的值(T=16.849,t=3.355)。【结论】以土耳其斯坦叶螨为食有利于加州新小绥螨种群的发育和繁殖。     

Biological Control of Tetranychus Urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) With Naturally Occurring Predators in Strawberry Plantings in Valenica, Spain

Naturally occurring beneficials, such as the phytoseiid mite Amblyseius californicus McGregor and the insects Stethorus punctillum Weise, Conwentzia psociformis (Curtis) and others, controlled Tetranychus urticae Koch in 11 strawberry plots near Valencia, Spain, during 1989–1992. The population levels of spider mites in 17 subplots under biological control were low or moderate, usually below 3000 mite days and similar to seven subplots with chemical control. In most of the crops A. californicus was the main predator, acting either alone or together with other beneficials. Predaceous insects colonized the crop when tetranychids reached medium to high levels. For levels above one spider mite per leaflet, a ratio of one A. californicus per five to ten T. urticae resulted in a decline of the prey population in the following sample (1–2 weeks later). These results suggest that naturally occurring predators are able to control spider mites and maintain them below damaging levels in strawberry crops from the Valencia area.     

短时高温对加州新小绥螨发育的影响

为了探究高温逆境条件下加州新小绥螨的生存特性对其种群发育的影响,利用短时高温刺激试验,研究加州新小绥螨卵、幼螨、雌成螨在35、38、42、45 ℃等4个温度下、处理1～8 h后的孵化率、存活率、后期发育历期及繁殖的影响.结果表明: 处理温度越高,时间越长,卵和幼螨的存活率越低,其后续发育历期随处理温度升高和时间增加先缩短后延长.当温度为38 ℃,处理8 h后,卵的后续发育历期最短,为4.1 d.卵在45 ℃下处理2 h以上将不能正常孵化,而幼螨在45 ℃下处理8 h后不能存活;雌成螨产卵期和产卵量基本随温度升高先增加后降低,35 ℃处理8 h后,单雌产卵量最高,为38.9粒;38 ℃处理8 h后,单雌产卵量为36.7粒;45 ℃处理8 h后,单雌产卵量仅为14.5粒.短时高温主要影响加州新小绥螨的孵化率、存活率和后续发育历期,对雌成螨的产卵前期和存活率影响较小.     

Larval size relative to larval feeding, cannibalism of larvae, egg or adult female size and larval–adult setal patterns among 13 phytoseiid mite species

Phytoseiid mite larvae vary in size and feeding type. We compared larval size to feeding by larvae, cannibalism of larvae by adult females, egg and adult female size and the setae lengths of larvae and adults among 13 species. There was no relationship between size of larvae and either feeding by larvae or cannibalism of larvae by adult female mites. Correlations were highest between larval size as measured by idiosoma plus extended leg lengths and adult female size of idiosoma plus extended leg lengths (r²=0.746), while next highest was larval idiosoma length and adult female idiosoma length (r²=0.662) and then larval idiosoma length and egg length (r²=0.579). Based on idiosoma length, Phytoseiulus persimilis had the largest larvae (non-feeding) among species and Euseius finlandicus had the smallest larvae (obligatory feeding). However, based on idiosoma length plus extended leg length, obligatory feeding larvae (on pollen or mites) of E. finlandicus and Euseius hibisci were largest and facultative feeding larvae (on mites) of Neoseiulus californicus and obligatory feeding larvae (on mites) of Galendromus occidentalis were the smallest. Among species with non- or facultative feeding larvae, Amblyseius andersoni and Neoseiulus barkeri had larger larvae and Typhlodromus pyri and Neoseiulus fallacis had smaller larvae when leg lengths were included in larval size. Setae lengths of larvae versus adult females (after adjustment for body sizes) showed high correlation for j6 (r²=0.942) and s4 (r²=0.854), but low correlation for larval Z4 versus adult female Z4 (r²=0.084) or Z5 (r²=0.063). Overall, larval morphological traits were most closely correlated to traits of other life stages, although for setae there were some exceptions. Differences in the functions of setae j6, s4 and Z4 in the larva versus adult female are discussed.     

黄瓜新小绥螨对二斑叶螨的捕食效应研究

本文在25±1℃、相对湿度80％ ±5％和光照(L:D=16 h:8 h)条件下研究了黄瓜新小绥螨Neoseiulus cucumeris对二斑叶螨Tetranychus urticae不同螨态的捕食功能反应、捕食选择性及个体间干扰反应,以期为黄瓜新小绥螨的大田释放和利用提供理论依据.结果表明,黄瓜新小绥螨对二斑叶螨各...     

Temperature‐dependent development of Neoseiulus barkeri (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) at seven constant temperatures

Abstract The effect of seven constant temperatures of 15, 20, 25, 27, 30, 35 and 37°C on developmental time of Neoseiulus barkeri Hughes were determined in laboratory conditions under 65%± 5% RH and a photoperiod of 12 : 12 (L : D) h on nymphal stages of Tetranychus urticae Koch. Total developmental time of females (from egg to adult emergence) at the above‐mentioned temperatures was 26.59, 14.43, 6.32, 5.64, 4.59, 3.98 and 4.67 days, respectively. Developmental rate of the N. barkeri increased as temperature increased from 15 to 35°C, but declined at 37°C. A linear and two nonlinear models were fitted to developmental rate of immature stages of N. barkeri to predict the developmental rate as a function of temperature, as well as to estimate the thermal constant (K) and critical temperatures (i.e., T_min, T_opt and T_max). The estimated values of the T_min and K for total developmental time using the linear model were 12.07°C and 86.20 degree‐days (DD), respectively. The T_min and T_max estimated by the Sharpe‐Schoolfield‐Ikemoto (SSI) model were 11.90°C and 37.41°C, respectively. The estimated T_opt for overall immature stage development of N. barkeri by the Lactin and SSI models were 33.89°C and 24.51°C, respectively. Based on the biological criteria of model evaluation, the linear and SSI models were found to be the best models for describing the developmental rate of overall immature stages of N. barkeri and estimating the temperature thresholds.     

温度对加州新小绥螨以截形叶螨为猎物的发育及繁殖的影响

在15～35℃、RH80%～85%条件下,研究了加州新小绥螨Neoseiulus (Amblyseius) californicus (Mcgregor)以截形叶螨Tetranychus truncatus Ehara为猎物时,不同螨态的发育和实验种群生命表。结果表明,加州新小绥螨在此温度范围内能完成世代发育,世代发育历期随着温度升高而逐渐缩短。该螨能适应35℃的高温条件,雌性的发育历期最短仅为6.14d。平均产卵期和平均寿命均随着温度的上升逐渐缩短。20℃～25℃时,该螨的平均产卵量最大,达53.73粒/雌。净增殖率在20℃时最高(48.2525),且雌雄性比最大。15℃时内禀增长率和周限增长率均最低,分别为0.0638和1.0659,种群倍增时间最长(10.8669d),35℃时内禀增长率和周限增长率均最高,分别为0.1954和1.2158,种群倍增时间最短(3.5477d)。