Use of predatory mites in commercial biocontrol: current status and future prospects

Abstract

Predatory mites play the leading role in commercial augmentative biological control. They are mainly used in protected vegetable and ornamental cultivation systems to control phytophagous mites, thrips and whiteflies. Use in open-field systems and in animal husbandry is still limited. Phytoseiidae species are by far the most important group of commercially available mite biocontrol agents with about 20 species offered worldwide. Out of these, Amblyseius swirskii, Phytoseiulus persimilis, Neoseiulus cucumeris and Neoseiulus californicus are the most important ones, covering together about two thirds of the entire arthropod biocontrol agent market. The widespread use of these leaf-inhabiting predatory mites has stimulated research into their biology and we now have substantial knowledge on, for instance, the interaction between different predatory mite species, that helps to improve biocontrol programmes. Soil predatory mites, for example Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Laelapidae) or Macrocheles robustulus (Macrochelidae) for the control of sciarid fly larvae and thrips pupae are much less frequently used and also much less researched. This makes further development of biocontrol strategies using these mites more difficult. Currently, there appears to be no reliable method to quantify the abundance of these mites in soil samples. In studies at our laboratory, the frequently used Berlese-Tullgren funnels gave very variable results. We observed that soil predatory mites can even multiply during the extraction process. In addition to the control of plant pests, predatory mites can also be used to control parasites of animals like the poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae. Good results have been obtained applying a combination of the predatory mites Androlaelaps casalis (Laelapidae) and Cheyletus eruditus (Cheyletidae) in laying hen stables. This paper provides an overview on the current status of commercial biological control using predatory mites and identifies research needs to make the currently available mite biocontrol agents even more successful and extend biological control with mites to other areas.

Distribution and biological features of Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) recki (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on Tetranychus urticae, T. evansi (Acari: Tetranychidae) and Aculops lycopersici (Acari: Eriophyidae)

“…Its mean consumption of T. urticae is similar to N. californicus, which is considered as an efficient predator of spider mites (i.e. Knapp et al 2018). Furthermore, it seems to perform better on T. evansi than the generalist species already tested.…”

“…recki collected in France on Solanaceae and Lamiaceae were considered (Table 1). Two "control" species, commonly used in biological control (Knapp et al 2018), both collected on Solanaceae in France (Table 1), were also studied: Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) and N. cucumeris (Oudemans). The predatory mites were maintained in rearing units, as described by McMurtry and Scriven (1965).…”

Scapulaseius asiaticus (Evans) and S. reptans (Blommers) (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae): one or two species?

“…Mites of the family Phytoseiidae are famous for their predatory behaviours on phytophagous mites and small insects on cultivated plants and wild vegetation. Several species are commercialised for the control of pest organisms in agricultural open fields and, above all, in protected crops all around the world (McMurtry and Croft 1997, McMurtry et al 2013, Knapp et al 2018. This family is widespread around the world, present on all inhabited continents and consists presently of 2,521 valid species belonging to 95 genera, 15 tribes and three sub-families (Chant andMcMurtry 2007, Demite et al 2021).…”

Integrated taxonomy supports the identification of some species of Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) from Georgia

“…As an additional contribution to the knowledge of this group of mites in the country, this paper presents results of surveys carried out in 2019. Among the 53 valid species of Phytoseiidae reported from Georgia, we were particularly interested in detecting Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot, as this species is known for its interest in biocontrol (Knapp et al 2018). It was introduced from the Middle-East in the 1960s to control Panonychus citri (McGregor) on citrus and according to Wainstein and Vartapetov (1973), it seemed to have successfully acclimated and was recovered three years later on citrus and Rubus spp.…”