Commonly used European and western country used that predatory mite.
In especially green house crops to manage phytophagous mite along with thrips.
Predatory mites deserve special mention in an agricultural country like India, where agriculture is always under threat of constant pest attack.
Predatory mites of the family phytoseiidae constitute a highly significant beneficial group on account of their vital role in the maintenance of pest population below EIL.
Predatory mites are now valued with growers worldwide as natural enemies that provide effective pest control in green house and on agricultural crops
Phytoseiid mites have received global attention since the 1950’s.
The species of Phytoseiidae are potentially important as a biotic factor in the control of phytophagous mites particularly Tetranychid and Eriophid mites.
Mass multiplication
2. Historical Remarks
Use of MITES in pest control began in the mid-
nineteenth century.
In 1868 Shimer revealed the potential of
Hemisarcoptes malus (Hemisarcoptidae) as a
control agent of Lepidosaphes ulmi (L.)
(Diaspididae) as it was able to significantly reduce
the population of the pest
The recognition of the benefit of H. malus for L.
ulmi control lead to the export of this natural
enemy (NE) to Canada in 1917 in order to reduce
populations of this same pest
2
3. MITE AS BIOCONTROL-AGENT
• Acarine bio-control agents are voracious by nature and
possess well-developed searching and dispersal mechanisms
• Many are fast runners and can be transported by wind also,
some utilize their hosts for dispersal. Some locate their prey
by kairomones
• Another important criterion, is their greater reproductive
potential than that of their pests
• Many acarine agents are quite sensitive to prey density and
do best when pest populations are strongly clumped
• Predatory mites may lay their eggs in protective locations
(e.g. phytoseiids) or where the hatched larvae (e.g.
Pergamasus sp.) will have easy access to prey
3
4. Feeding Potential Of Predatory Mite
• Rahman et al observed the preference of Neoseiulus species
when it fed on spider mites in the order viz. larvae > nymphs
> eggs > adults
• They observed the fact that larvae and nymphs of mites fed in
clusters, which make them relatively easy to handle by the
predator.
• These studies indicated that the release of predatory mites at
early stage of infestation targeting young stages of
phytophagus mites increases the success rate of biological
control.
• Predatory mite efficiency increased with advancement of
developmental stage and the order of potency viz. adult
female > deutonymph > protonymphs > adult male. Adult
female was able feed on more number of prey for oviposition 4
5. HABITUS, HABITS, AND HABITAT OF MITES
WITH REGARDS TO BC
To establish a successful strategy using most effective NEs to achieve the
objective to maintain an undesirable population in acceptable levels.
Habitus
It is the morphology related to the lifestyle and behavior
This can lead us to consider that the lifestyle and the general appearance
of a species habitus are correlated and useful in the search for an effective
biological control
Habit
We need a predator behavior in a mite NE.
Habitat
It is the ecological area or environment where the organism communities
live and prosper.
A large variety of feeding habits, and due to its variety of habitats, they
have adopted (predation, phytophagy, mycophagy, saprophagy)
5
6. Mites Important to Agriculture
Mites can be divided into seven orders
I. Opilioacarida,
II. Holothyrida,
III. Ixodida,
IV. Mesostigmata,
V. Trombidiformes,
VI. Sarcoptiformes, and
VII. Endeostigmata.
6
7. Trombidiformes
One of the most important plant mites to agriculture ecosystems
containing most of the phytophagous species. Families
includes ,
Tetranychidae,
Tarsonemidae, and
Tenuipalpidae.
It should also be noted the families Consisting of group
predatory species.
Stigmaeidae,
Bdellidae,
Cheyletidae, and
Cunaxidae,
7
8. Sarcoptiformes
• It includes the important superfamily Eriophyoidea. Especially,
plant feeder group also has some species that vector viruses.
Mesostigmata
• In this order, there are many families of mites with a
predatory habit that can assist in pest management, acting in
the control of soil pests such as
Phytoseiidae
Ascidae,
Macrochelidae, and
Rodacaridae or the phylloplane,
These mesostigmata group which contains species active in
the control of pest mites as well as edaphic pests.
8
9. Families Associated With Plant Feeding Mites
Phytoseiidae,
Ascidae,
Anystidae,
Bdellidae,
Cheyletidae,
Cunaxidae,
Erythraeidae,
Eupalopsellidae,
Raphignathidae,
Stigmaeidae,
Tydeidae, etc.
Phytoseiid mites have several
advantages over other predatory
mites because of
High fecundity,
Abundant availability,
Good searching ability,
Dispersal rate,
Adaptability to different
ecological niches
A high degree of prey specificity
9
10. Phytoseiidae
• Predatory mites belonging to the order Mesostigmata are the
most important agents of biological control due to the wide
diversity of habitus, habits, and habitats
• Since they can feed on a large number of species of small
arthropods and nematodes as well as using alternative
sources such as pollen, fungi, and plant exudates, among
others.
• Its prey capture strategies are diversified, which provides
ample possibility of use of its species.
• However, among all the families of Mesostigmata, the
Phytoseiidae stands out.
10
13. Stigmaied mites
• Probably next to phytoseiidae as far as predatory efficiency is
concerned but these cannot run very fast, hence they are used
for controlling slow moving mites and for destruction of mite
eggs.
Anystid mites
• Long legged, soft bodied, fast moving mites and start making a
whirling movement as soon as touched. These are reared on
tetranychids. Whirling mites feed on aphids
Cunaxid mites
• Very strong with thorny mouthparts. They are efficient, fast
moving predators which fasten their prey with silken threads
secreted by their mouth parts. But their number is limited in
nature
13
15. Phytoseiid Mites
Family Phytoseiidae Order Mesostigmata
• Phytoseiid mites are primary plant-inhabiting mites andnthey
can be separated into four categories based on their lifestyles
habits
• As the lifestyles are related to the preying habitus, habits,
and habitats, they achieve the best performance.
• These categories are a relevant tool and can give us insights
on the performance of a species in preying.
• These categories are listed below,
Type I
Type II
Type III
Type IV 15
16. Type I
• Specialized predators of
Tetranychus spp., and they are
primarily from the
Phytoseiulus genus
• All life function of the
predators takes place in prey
colonies
• subcategories,
I. Ia (Tetranychus spp. profuse
webbing producers) restrict
to Phytoseiulus spp.,
II. Ib (Tetranychus spp. that
produce a web-nest), and
III. Ic (Tydeoid mite predators)
Type II
• Selective predators of
tetranychid mites, not only
Tetranychus spp. but also a
wide range of acceptable prey
mites.
• The genus Galendromus, few
Neoseiulus, and some
Typhlodromus species account
for this type.
• Notably, the species
Neoseiulus californicus is
important in the biological
control of mites worldwide
16
17. Type III
• Generalist predators with broad feeding habits.
• For example, many Neoseiulus, most Amblyseius and
Thyphlodromus species, and
• Many other genera are included in Type III, which has five
subdivisions based on their habitats:
IIIa (lives in hairy leaves),
IIIb (glabrous leaves),
IIIc (confined spaces on dicotyledonous plants),
IIId (confined spaces on monocotyledonous plants, and
IIIe (soil and humus habitats).
Type IV
• Pollen feeders and generalist phytoseiid predators.
17
18. Against Pests Of Agri-horticultural Crops And Stored Grain
(i) Phytoseiidae – Amblyseius channabasavannai, A.
herbicolus, A. largoensis, Euseius alstoniae, E. finlandicus,
E. ovalis, Neoseiulus fallacis, N. longispinosus,
Scapulaseius suknaensis, Transeius tetranychivorus.
(ii) Stigmaeidae – Agistemus fleschneri, A. industani,
Eryngiopus coimbatorensis
(iii) Anystidae – Anystis baccarum
(iv) Cunaxidae – Cunaxa setirostris
(v) Iolinidae –Pronematus fleschneri
(vi) Pyemotidae – Pyemotes tritici
18
20. Phytoseiulus persimilis
Target Pests
• Two Spotted Spider Mites, Pacific
Spider Mite
Use
• It is the most ferocious webbing
spider mite predator known, but
as a Type I predator these are
their only prey.
• They can be identified by their
long front legs and red bodies.
• Eat up to 35 food units of a spider
mite egg or adult per day
• Laying 4-7 eggs per day.
20
21. • Phytoseiulus persimilis can provide effective control of T.
urticae in greenhouses
• The control is successful when they are introduced at the rate
of one P.persimilis female per ten T. urticae females.
• In Bulgaria, spider mite populations are monitored and P.
persimilis is introduced onto cucumbers at a predator:prey
ratio of 1:20 when there are five to six spider mites per leaf
and 20% leaf damage.
• This method has been successfully used against tetranychid
mites.
• In curative control, timing and rate of predator release is
important.
• Releasing too many predators may result in the lack of food
for predators and releasing too few may result in poor control.
21
22. (Amblyseius cucumeris)
Neoseiulus cucumeris
Target Pests
• Thrip , All types and stages of Spider
Mites, effective predator of some
tarsonemid mites & whiteflies
• Do not produce webbing
• Can consume an average of 6.6 eggs,
1.9 first-instar larvae or 0.9 second-
instar larvae of B. tabaci per day
22
23. • It has also been tested against Bemisia tabaci in the
laboratory.
• It can complete its development to the adult stage feeding on
a combination of eggs and first- and second-instar larvae of B.
tabaci with a high survival rate
• N. cucumeris has been used most successfully against thrips on
vegetables and ornamentals in greenhouses.
• Often repeated releases and Optimum predator:prey ratios are
required for adequate control.
• Neoseiulus cucumeris can keep Frankliniella occidentalis
populations at a low level, but sometimes do not provide
effective control, despite repeated releases.
23
24. Neoseiulus Californicus
Target Pests
• Two Spotted Spider Mites, European
Red Spider Mites, broad mite
Use
• Type II phytoseiid species, mainly
feeding on Tetranychus spider mites
and also other mites and pollen.
• They can eat up to 30 units of food
per day which gives you up to 6
predator eggs laid per day.
• The nymphs of N. californicus can
attack 13 eggs of T. urticae and 11
eggs of T. cinnabarinus, consuming
over 86% of the eggs are killed
24
25. Predatory mites
S.No Predatory Mites Plant Feeding Mites
1 Amblyseius finlandicus Brevipalpus phoenicis, Eutetranychus orientalis
2 A. Alstoniae E. orientalis, Tetranychus macfarlanei, B. phoenicis
3 A. (Neoseiulus) fallacis T. urticae, Schizotetranychus and ropogoni
4 A. andersoni Panonychus ulmi, E. carpini, Colomerus vitis
5 A. ovalis Tetranychids
6 A. longispinosus T. cinnabarinus, T. ludeni eggs
7 A. tetranychivorus T. ludeni, R. indica
8 A. victoriensis T. urticae, Aculus cornutus, C. vitis
25
26. 10 Cunaxa setirostris Eutetranychus orientalis, Oligonychus sp., O.
mangiferus, Schizotetranychus
andropogoni
11 A. tamatavensis Polyphagotarsonemus latus
12 Phytoseiulus persimilis T. urticae, T. ludeni, T. fijiensis, T. neocaledonicus,
Oligonychus indicus, Raoiella indica
13 Typhlodromus pyri T. urticae, Panonychus ulmi, C. vitis
14 Agistemus fleschmeri B. obovatus, tetranychids, Aceria mangiferae
15 A. herbarius O. mangiferus, T. urticae
16 Tencateia sp. Tetranychus spp.,
17 A. terminalis Brevipalpus sp., Acaphylla theae
18 Zetzellia mali Panonychus ulmi, Aculus sp.
19 A. indicus T. urticae
26
27. Field Release
Several species of predatory mites can be purchased through
commercial suppliers.
Select the predatory mite that best fits the pest management
plan (e.g.,target pest, greenhouse, etc.).
Mites are usually shipped overnight in an insulated container
with an ice pack to improve survivability.
When the shipment is received it should be opened and
inspected as soon as possible to determine whether the mites
are still alive.
The mites are typically combined with a carrier material, such as
vermiculite, corncob dust, or sawdust
A light spray of water on the application area will help the mites
and carrier material stay in place when they are applied to the
infested area.
To avoid extreme heat or cold that can decrease predator
success, apply them in the early morning or late evening. 27
