Effect of feeding treated prey with dicofol and avermectin on the survival, reproduction and development of the predacious mite Phytoseius finitimus (Acari, Phytoseiidae)

Abstract

When females of the predacious mite Phytoseius finitimus Ribaga ingested dicofol and avermectin with the prey Eriophyes dioscoridis Soliman & Abou-Awad, the egg production sharply decreased after 120 h in the former, while continued at a lower rate in the later respectively. Dicofol was moderately toxic when ingested, although, avermectin caused mortality increased by increasing the time of exposure to treated prey. Few immatures reached maturity when fed on treated prey with dicofol, contrasting better development and less immature mortality on avermectin treated prey.