<p class="HeadingRunIn"><strong>Prey consumption and functional response of <em>Neoseiulus</em> californicus and <em>Neoseiulus longispinosus</em> (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on <em>Tetranychus urticae</em> and <em>Tetranychus kanzawai </em>(Acari: Tetranychidae)</strong></p>

Abstract

Abstract Tetranychus urticae Koch and Tetranychus kanzawai Kishida are important pest mites of various crops of economic importance around the world. Prey consumption and functional responses of two species of phytoseiid mites on these two spider mites were evaluated at 25 ± 1°C, 65 ± 10% RH in the artificial climatic chamber with a photoperiod of 16 h light:8 h dark. The functional response of both Neoseiulus species was type II on three immature stages (egg, larva and protonymph) of Tetranychus species. The value of attack rate coefficients (α) of N. californicus to each stage of Tetranychus was greater than N. longispinosus, and the shortest handling time (Th) was obtained on larvae followed by nymphs and eggs. The maximum attack rate (T/Th) on eggs, larvae and nymphs of T. urticae was estimated to be 11.87, 37.23 and 26.95 for N. californicus, and 18.43, 28.98 and 20.67 for N. longispinosus; the maximum attack rate (T/Tf) on eggs, larvae and nymphs of T. kanzawai was estimated to be 11.90, 42.97 and 3...