Biocontrol Science and Technology (2018) 28, 157-171

Faeze Tavoosi Ajvad, Hossein Madadi, J.P. Michaud, Doostmorad Zafari and Mohammad Khanjani (2018)
Life table of Gaeolaelaps aculeifer (Acari: Laelapidae) feeding on larvae of Lycoriella auripila (Diptera: Sciaridae) with stage-specific estimates of consumption
Biocontrol Science and Technology 28 (2), 157-171
Abstract: Gaeolaelaps aculeifer (Canestrini, 1883) is a soil-dwelling predatory mite with potential for use as a biological control agent of fungus gnats (Diptera: Sciaridae) in mushroom production. The life table, predation rate and population growth rate of G. aculeifer on a diet of larvae of the sciarid fly, Lycoriella auripila, at 23 ± 1°C, 60 ± 5% RH and a photoperiod of 0:24 (L:D) h was investigated. The results revealed that the duration of egg, larva, protonymph, deutonymph, females and males of G. aculeifer were 3.8 ± 0.1, 1.4 ± 0.1, 3.9 ± 0.1, 4.1 ± 0.1, 67.7 ± 2.8 and 60.3 ± 3.1 days, respectively. Net reproductive rate (R₀) was 54.8 ± 7.1 offspring, intrinsic rate of increase (r) was 0.12 ± 0.01 offspring day^-1, finite rate of increase (λ) was 1.13 ± 0.01 day^-1and mean generation time (T) was 32.3 ± 0.6 days. The predator consumed a mean of 0.08 ± 0.05, 1.73 ± 0.18, 3.16 ± 0.28 and 75.9 ± 7.1 third instar L. auripila larvae during the larval (1.3 ± 0.1 days), protonymph (3.9 ± 0.1 days), deutonymph (4.1 ± 0.1 days) and adult (52.6 ± 2.2 days) stages. Population parameters and consumption rates suggest that G. aculeifer has good potential as a biological control agent of L. auripila in mushroom production.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Mohammad Khanjani, Doustmorad Zafari, J.P. Michaud, Hossein Madadi

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Lycoriella auripila	Mushrooms
Gaeolaelaps aculeifer (predator)	Lycoriella auripila	Mushrooms