Entomologia Generalis (2022) 42, 217-229
Joaquín Cruz-Miralles, Marc Cabedo-López, Michela Guzzo, Sandra Vacas, Vicente Navarro-Llopis, M. Victoria Ibáñez-Gual, Víctor Flors, Marta Montserrat and Josep A. Jaques (2022)
Host plant scent mediates patterns of attraction/repellence among predatory mites
Entomologia Generalis 42 (2), 217-229
Abstract: In mite communities, behavioral and foraging decisions of individuals rely on semiochemicals that they gather from the environment, which contain odors from plants, herbivores, and predators. Because herbivorous mites commonly co-occur with several species of phytoseiid predatory mites, which may engage in intraguild predation (IGP), predator mite decision-making relies on their ability to recognize odors signaling the presence of the herbivore but also that of potential competitors/predators. Here the odor-related foraging decisions of three predatory mites, Euseius stipulatus (Athias-Henriot), Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) and Phytoseiulus persimilis (Athias-Henriot) (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae), which co-occur in citrus, compete for the herbivore Tetranychus urticae Koch (Prostigmata: Tetranychidae), and can engage in IGP were investigated. The composition of the volatile blends associated with the three predators was characterized. Moreover, the effect of these odors on the predators foraging decisions was measured. Results revealed that (1) the volatile signature of the three predatory mites is species specific, (2) the predators' foraging behavior is affected by heterospecific predator odors, and (3) predator responses strongly depend on the host plant: mutual attraction and mutual repellence occurred in Cleopatra mandarin and sour orange, respectively. These findings have important consequences for the management of systems where these species occur. The odor blends that make predators that share pest species as prey avoid each other could be used to improve pest control by minimizing undesired negative interactions among predator species, and by locally increasing predation risk on herbivore pest species.
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Database assignments for author(s): Sandra Vacas, Vicente Navarro-Llopis, Marta Montserrat, Josep A. Jaques
Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
environment/habitat manipulation
