Parasitism of aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae) by larvae of Al/othrombium pu/vinum (Acari: Trombidiidae): Host species selection, host size selection, and superparasitism

Abstract

Abstract Three aspects of aphid host selection by parasitic larvae of Allothrombium pulvinum Ewing (Acari: Trombidiidae) were examined using two-choice tests in the laboratory. Seven aphid species were studied for host selection by larval mites: Cryptomyzus alboapicalis (Theobald), Liosomaphis berberidis (Kaltenbach), Macrosiphum rosae L., Myzus ornatus Laing, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), Periphyllus testudinaceus (Fernie), and Dreoanosiphum platanoidis (Schrank). In host species selection tests, larval mites preferred M. persicae to M. ornatus, which was as attractive to the mite parasites as M. rosae. Larval mites preferred M. rosae to C. alboapicalis. Aphidinae as represented by M. persicae, M. rosae or C. alboapicalis was more preferable to the mite parasites than P. testudinaceus of the Chaitophorinae, which was as attractive as D. platanoidis of the Drepanosiphinae. In host size selection tests, significantly more mites selected the large host than small host of L. berberidis and D. platanoides. The lar...