Why does the predatory mite Neoseiulus womersleyi Schicha (Acari: Phytoseiidae) prefer spider mite eggs to adults?

Adult female Neoseiulus womersleyi feed on all stages of tetranychid mites, although they show a strong preference for eggs over adult females when both are available. We found that the oviposition rate of N. womersleyi females supplied with eggs of Tetranychus kanzawai or T. urticae was significant...

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Published inApplied Entomology and Zoology Vol. 40; no. 4; pp. 675 - 678
Main Authors Furuichi, Hiromi, Oku, Keiko, Yano, Shuichi, Takafuji, Akio, Osakabe, Masahiro
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published JAPANESE SOCIETY OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY 2005
Subjects
Acari
Araneae
Neoseiulus womersleyi
Phytoseiidae
prey preference
Tetranychidae
Tetranychus kanzawai
Tetranychus urticae
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Summary:Adult female Neoseiulus womersleyi feed on all stages of tetranychid mites, although they show a strong preference for eggs over adult females when both are available. We found that the oviposition rate of N. womersleyi females supplied with eggs of Tetranychus kanzawai or T. urticae was significantly higher than that of N. womersleyi females supplied with adult females of the respective prey species. The results suggested that the preference of N. womersleyi females for spider mite eggs simply reflected the optimal foraging of the females.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-1
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ISSN:0003-6862
1347-605X
DOI:10.1303/aez.2005.675