Ammar Daher(1), Mohamad Kanouh(1), and Abdulnabi Basheer(1)
(1). Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Damascus University, Syria.
Received: 18/11/2024 Accepted: 6/04/2025
Abstract:
A laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the fertility and feeding efficiency of the predatory Erythraeus (Erythraeus) phalangoides De Geer on those of each of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch and strawberries mite, Tetranychus turkestani Ugarov and Nikolskii. Average consumption of eggs, larvae, protonymphs, deutonymphs and adult males and females of T. urticae by the predator E. (E.). phalangoides were: 15.91, 14.91, 13.87, 8.83, 6.55 and 8.63 from the previously mentioned prey stages, respectively. While the average amount of eggs laid when fed at the previous stages was: 24.13, 21.8, 21.69, 20.59, 19.84 and 20.29 respectively. Comparatively low numbers of different stages of T. turkestani were eaten by the predator. Average consumption of eggs, larvae, protonymphs, deutonymphs and adult males and females of T. turkestani by the predator were: 13.4, 10.85, 9.66, 7.51, 6.7 and 6.75 from the previously mentioned prey stages, respectively. While the average amount of eggs laid when fed at the previous stages was: 23.07, 21.52, 21.32, 21.34, 20.78 and 21.05 respectively. The foregoing results showed that E. (E.). phalangoides can play an important role as a bio- control agent of two tetranychid mites T. urticae and T. turkestani.
Keywords: Erythraeus (Erythraeus) phalangoides, Tetranychus urticae, Tetranychus turkestani, feeding efficiency, Fertility.
Full paper in Arabic: PDF