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Mite predator responses to prey and predator-emitted stimuli
1Department of Entomology, University of Massachusetts, 01003, Amherst, Massachusetts.
Journal of Chemical Ecology
|January 15, 2014
Summary
Predatory mites, Amblyseius fallacis and Phytoseiulus macropilis, alter searching behavior based on prey (Tetranychus urticae) cues like silk and feces. Kairomones can improve pest management strategies.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Entomology
- Chemical Ecology
- Behavioral Ecology
Background:
- Acarine predators are crucial for biological control of pest mites.
- Understanding predator-prey interactions informs integrated pest management (IPM).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of specific stimuli on the searching behavior of two predatory mites.
- To evaluate the potential of prey-derived cues for enhancing predator efficiency.
Main Methods:
- Observing predator searching patterns in response to prey silk, feces, and extracted kairomones.
- Assessing the effect of predator-emitted pheromones on search duration.
- Testing the efficacy of kairomone and silk treatments in predator-guided prey egg location.
Main Results:
- Prey silk and feces reduced predator movement and increased searching halts.
- Kairomones from prey cues prompted predators to return to infested areas.
- Predator-emitted marking pheromones shortened search times in previously visited locations.
- Kairomone or silk treatment improved predator detection of prey eggs.
Conclusions:
- Predator foraging behavior is modulated by a combination of prey-derived and self-emitted chemical cues.
- Synthetic prey kairomones show promise for improving biological control efficacy in pest management programs.
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