Ontogenetic shifts in intraguild predation on thrips by phytoseiid mites: the relevance of body size and diet specialization

2004 ◽  
Vol 94 (6) ◽  
pp. 577-584 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Walzer ◽  
H.F. Paulus ◽  
P. Schausberger
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Frankliniella Occidentalis ◽  
Western Flower Thrips ◽  
Phytoseiulus Persimilis ◽  
Predatory Mite ◽  
The Body ◽  
Neoseiulus Californicus ◽  
Phytoseiid Mites ◽  
Diet Specialization

AbstractIn greenhouse agroecosystems, a guild of spider mite predators may consist of the oligophagous predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot, the polyphagous predatory mite Neoseiulus californicus McGregor (both Acari: Phytoseiidae) and the primarily herbivorous but facultatively predatory western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Diet-specialization and the predator body size relative to prey are crucial factors in predation on F. occidentalis by P. persimilis and N. californicus. Here, it was tested whether the relevance of these factors changes during predator ontogeny. First, the predator (protonymphs and adult females of P. persimilis and N. californicus): prey (F. occidentalis first instars) body size ratios were measured. Second, the aggressiveness of P. persimilis and N. californicus towards F. occidentalis was assessed. Third, survival, development and oviposition of P. persimilis and N. californicus with F. occidentalis prey was determined. The body size ranking was P. persimilis females > N. californicus females > P. persimilis protonymphs > N. californicus protonymphs. Neoseiulus californicus females were the most aggressive predators, followed by highly aggressive N. californicus protonymphs and moderately aggressive P. persimilis protonymphs. Phytoseiulus persimilis females did not attack thrips. Frankliniella occidentalis larvae are an alternative prey for juvenile N. californicus and P. persimilis, enabling them to reach adulthood. Females of N. californicus but not P. persimilis sustained egg production with thrips prey. Within the guild studied here, N. californicus females are the most harmful predators for F. occidentalis larvae, followed by N. californicus and P. persimilis juveniles. Phytoseiulus persimilis females are harmless to F. occidentalis.

Effects of alternative and natural prey on body size, locomotion and dispersal of Neoseiulus bicaudus (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (9) ◽  
pp. 1579-1591
Author(s):  
Jie Su ◽  
Min Liu ◽  
Zhen-Shi Fu ◽  
An-Di Zhu ◽  
Jian Ping Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Prey Availability ◽  
Mass Rearing ◽  
Predatory Mite ◽  
The Body ◽  
Alternative Prey ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Natural Prey ◽  
Tetranychus Turkestani

Prey are very important for the mass rearing of natural enemies and can affect the efficiency and quality of natural enemy products. Locomotion is important in dispersal of predatory mites on plants, and such activity is affected by body size and prey availability. The study evaluates the effects of prey (alternative prey: Tyrophagus putrescentiae Schrank and natural prey: Tetranychus turkestani Ugarov & Nikolskii) on the body size, locomotion and dispersal of the predatory mite Neoseiulus bicaudus Wainstein. When fed the alternative prey, the body size and locomotion of N. bicaudus were significantly lower than when fed the natural prey. However, the dispersal of N. bicaudus fed the two prey types was similar. The results suggest that long-term feeding on alternative prey could decrease the body size and locomotion of N. bicaudus. Nevertheless, the negative effects of alternative prey did not appear to affect the dispersal of N. bicaudus. The likely reason is that the type of prey does not affect the ability of the predatory mite to locate spider mites. In other words, when it fed alternative prey, N. bicaudus could still successfully disperse and locate spider mite-infested plants in the same way as when fed the natural prey.

Reproductive patterns of European pond turtles differ between sites: a small scale scenario

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 339-349
Author(s):  
Marco A.L. Zuffi ◽  
Elena Foschi
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Shell Height ◽  
The Body ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Central Mediterranean ◽  
Population Structures ◽  
Body Sizes ◽  
Reproductive Females ◽  
Similar Body

From 1996 to 2002, we studied the body size, measures of reproductive strategy (relative clutch mass and delayed reproduction at sexual maturity), and reproductive output (clutch frequency and annual egg production) of female European Pond turtles,Emys orbicularis, at two sites separated by 12 km in central Mediterranean Tuscany (San Rossore and Camp Darby, central northern Italy). Females did not reproduce at the first appearance of external sexual characters, but reproduced at larger sizes, probably as older turtles. Among years, reproductive females were more common than were non-reproductive females, yet both groups had similar body sizes. Body size (carapace length and width, plastron length and width, shell height and body mass) varied between localities and among years. Body size differed between reproductive and non reproductive females in Camp Darby, but not in San Rossore females. Shell volume did not vary among years, nor between localities, nor between reproductive status. Reproductive females had higher body condition indices (BCI) than did non-reproductive females, while BCI did not differ between females laying one clutch and females laying multiple clutches. Clutch size did not vary among years. One clutch per year was much more frequent than multiple clutches, and multiple clutches were more frequent in Camp Darby than in San Rossore females, likely due to differences in population structures between sites.

scholarly journals AN INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT APPROACH TO CONTROL OF WESTERN FLOWER THRIPS (FRANKLINIELLA OCCIDENTALIS).

HortScience ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 25 (9) ◽  
pp. 1111H-1112
Author(s):  
Marsha A. Bower ◽  
L. Michele Quinn ◽  
John M. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Frankliniella Occidentalis ◽  
Western Flower Thrips ◽  
Body Cavity ◽  
The Body ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Steinernema Feltiae ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Flower Thrips ◽  
Orange Yellow ◽  
Thrips Population

Experiments were conducted to investigate the feasibility of biological control measures to control Western Flower Thrips. Thrips population and preferred trap color were examined using sticky trap tapes in 5 fluorescent colors, orange, yellow, green, blue and pink. Results indicated that pink is more effective in attracting thrips than the traditional yellow or the newly acclaimed blue sticky traps on the market now. Studies were also conducted to determine if the entomogenous nematode (Steinernema feltiae) could invade and parasitize Western Flower Thrips, and which stage of the thrips life cycle was most susceptible to parasitization. Thrips were dissected and checked for nematode invasion at 24, 48 and 72 hours after inoculation. S. feltiae was found to invade the body cavity after 24 hours in the larval stage of Western Flower Thrips resulting in death.

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF FUNGUS GNATS, BRADYSIA SPP. (DIPTERA: SCIARIDAE), AND WESTERN FLOWER THRIPS, FRANKLINIELLA OCCIDENTALS (PERGANDE) (THYSANOPTERA: THRIPIDAE), IN GREENHOUSES USING A SOIL-DWELLING PREDATORY MITE, GEOLAELAPS SP. NR. ACULEIFER (CANESTRINI) (ACARI: LAELAPIDAE)

1990 ◽  
Vol 122 (5) ◽  
pp. 975-983 ◽  
Author(s):  
David R. Gillespie ◽  
Donald M.J. Quiring
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Frankliniella Occidentalis ◽  
Western Flower Thrips ◽  
Predatory Mite ◽  
Flower Thrips ◽  
Fungus Gnats ◽  
Fungus Gnat ◽  
Greenhouse Cucumber ◽  
Crop Cycle ◽  
Hydroponically Grown

AbstractA soil-dwelling predatory mite, Geolaelaps sp. nr. aculeifer (Canestrini), introduced inundatively at a rate of 6000 mites per plant to the sawdust substrate of hydroponically grown, greenhouse cucumbers significantly reduced numbers of fungus gnat, Bradysia spp., larvae and adults over a 10-week period. Inundative introductions of 1600 mites per plant reduced emergence of western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), adults to about 30% of that in the controls over a 40-day trial. An inoculative introduction of 125 mites per plant to cucumber plants in selected rows in a commercial greenhouse reduced peak fungus gnat numbers to about 20% of those in untreated rows. These results suggest that a single inoculative introduction of Geolaelaps sp. nr. aculeifer, early in the crop cycle, would maintain control of fungus gnat populations in greenhouse cucumber crops at an acceptable level. This predator would also contribute to biological control of western flower thrips by reducing emergence of adults.

Studies on a Method of Radioactive Tagging of a Gall Midge, Dasyneura brassicae Winn. (Dipt., Cecidomyiidae)

1970 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 291-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edvard Sylven ◽  
Hans Lönsjö
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Present Article ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Gall Midge ◽  
The Body ◽  
Contamination Level ◽  
Fresh Weight

AbstractAs mentioned in an earlier paper (Sylvén, I970) specimens of the Brassica Pod Midge, Dasyneura brassicae Winn., can be efficiently tagged by treating midge-infested pods with 32P. The results of the experiment dealt with in the present article indicate that about I-I I/2 μCi of 32P per g fresh weight of the pods is for this purpose an appropriate contamination level. This amount gives a high labelling effect, and seems to have no drastic influence upon the body size or the egg production of the female midges developed from larvae in the pods treated.

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.

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