Comparative study of predation, preference and switching behaviors of two predatory mite Neoseiulus californicus and Amblyseius swirskii (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Abstract

Predatory mites have an incredible role in the suppression of spider mites in modern agriculture. The present study compared some behavioral traits of two predatory mites, namely Neoseiulus californicus McGregor and Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot in response to different life stages of two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch. In no-choice predation test, both predators had a higher predation rate on larval than other developmental stages of the prey. In this assay, the lower predation rate of A. swirskii was recorded on the egg stage, which was observed on the adult female for N. californicus. With one exception, the results obtained from the predation test in choice conditions confirmed these observations. In the choice test, both predators had a lower consumption rate on different stages of prey than no-choice ones. To investigate the predation preference of predatory mites, Manly’s preference index (β) was used. With respect to this index, both predators significantly preferred the larval stage than other developmental stages of T. urticae. Although N. californicus exhibited a lower preference to the female prey, in the case of A. swirskii, the lower preference to deutonymph and female was observed. Our findings also revealed that both predatory mites had no switching behavior from preferred stages to non-preferred ones, indicating that reducing the ratio of preferred stage in the experimental arena has no detectable effect on the predation preference of both predators.