How predatory mites find plants with whitefly prey

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Entomology
• Biological Control
• Chemical Ecology

Background:

• Bemisia tabaci (whitefly) is a significant agricultural pest.
• Typhlodromips swirskii and Euseius scutalis are predatory mites used for biological control of whiteflies.
• Understanding predator searching behavior is crucial for effective biological control strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the searching behavior of Typhlodromips swirskii and Euseius scutalis in relation to Bemisia tabaci.
• To determine if mites are attracted to or arrested by whitefly-infested plants.
• To assess the role of olfactory cues in predator-prey location.

Main Methods:

• Greenhouse release experiments with mites on clean and whitefly-infested cucumber plants.
• Y-tube olfactometer experiments to test attraction to volatiles from infested plants.
• Analysis of predator recapture rates and distribution on plants.

Main Results:

• Both mite species were recaptured significantly more on plants with whiteflies, indicating discrimination.
• While experienced T. swirskii showed attraction to volatiles, inexperienced mites relied more on arrestment at prey plants.
• Predatory mite searching effectiveness was lower than whitefly recapture rates, suggesting potential spatial dynamics.

Conclusions:

• Predatory mites likely locate prey through random searching followed by differential arrestment on infested plants.
• Olfactory cues play a role, but arrestment appears more significant for inexperienced predators in greenhouse settings.
• The search inefficiency of mites compared to whiteflies may influence biological control dynamics and pest population patterns.