Effectiveness of the predacious mite, Amblyseius gossipi as a predator of three tetranychid miets (Acarina: Phytoseiidae)

Abstract

Test mites of Amblyseius gossipi Elbadry were confined to broad bean leaves in the laboratory at 26.5–28.5 C°. Adults A. gossipi fed readily on both adults and immatures of the spider mites Oligonychus mangiferus (R. & P.) and Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Boisduval) without being trapped in their webbing. Immature stages only of the citrus brown mite, Eutetranychus orientalis (Klein) were fed on. Eggs of T. cinnabarinus were fed upon but was not a satisfactory food for development. Living prey mites were essential for the predator to complete its development. Females A. gossipi consumed the average number of 600, 591 and 338 prey throughout their life cycle when developed on E. orientalis, O. mangiferus, and T. cinnabarinus respectively. The rate of prey consumption per day was estimated as 25.8, 25.3 and 12.5 individuals. Limited feeding and development took place on Cenopalpus pulcher (C. and F.). The predator fed and reproduced successfully on the soft scale crawlers, Lecanium accuminatus (Sign.).