Acarologia (1999) 40, 419-429

Badawi A. Abou-Awad, Bahira M. El-Sawaf, Ahmed S. Reda and Amira A. Abdel-Khalek (1999)
Environmental management and biological aspects of two eriophyoid fig mites in Egypt: Aceria ficus and Rhyncaphytoptus ficifoliae
Acarologia 40 (4), 419-429
Abstract: Mites from abandoned fig trees in Egypt were observed for 2 years, during which species diversity, seasonal fluctuations and biological aspects of common eriophyoid species were studied. Three phytophagous species-the fig bud mite Aceria ficus (Cotte), the fig leaf mite Rhyncaphytoptus ficifoliae Keifer and the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch, representing a basic trophic level-were fed upon by three predacious mites-Pronematus ubiquitus (McGregor), Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot and Agistemus exsertus Gonzalez. Population abundance of the injurious mites were affected by climatic conditions, predation and leaf age. A control measure of one summer pesticide (abamectin) application seemed to be the most successful management of the harmful mites. Life table parameters showed that the population of A. ficus multiplied 28.52 times in a generation time of 17.90 days, while the R. ficifoliae population increased 16.50 times in a generation time of 14.6I days. Field and laboratory studies indicated that viviparity is a typical character in the reproduction of R. ficifoliae.
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Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
population dynamics/ epidemiology
general biology - morphology - evolution
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
surveys/distribution/isolation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Tetranychus urticae	Ficus (crop)	Egypt
	Aceria ficus	Ficus (crop)	Egypt
	Rhyncaphytoptus ficifoliae	Ficus (crop)	Egypt
Agistemus exsertus (predator)			Egypt
Amblyseius swirskii (predator)			Egypt
Pronematus ubiquitus (predator)			Egypt