Functional responses of two predatory bugs (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) to changes in the abundance of Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) and Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)


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PEHLİVAN S., Alinc T., Achiri T. D., ATAKAN E.

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY, vol.117, pp.49-55, 2020 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 117
  • Publication Date: 2020
  • Doi Number: 10.14411/eje.2020.005
  • Journal Name: EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ENTOMOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, Animal Behavior Abstracts, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), BIOSIS, Environment Index, Geobase
  • Page Numbers: pp.49-55
  • Keywords: Anthocoridae, Orius spp., biological control, functional response, prey abundance, Tetranychus urticae, red spider mite, Bemisia tabaci, whitefly, ORIUS-ALBIDIPENNIS HEMIPTERA, VICINUS RIBAUT HETEROPTERA, BIOLOGICAL-CONTROL, HOST-PLANT, FRANKLINIELLA-OCCIDENTALIS, HYMENOPTERA-APHELINIDAE, SPIDER-MITE, THYSANOPTERA, PREY, POPULATION
  • Çukurova University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Orius spp. (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) is well-known genus of generalist predators, which feed on numerous pest insects and mites infesting crops. In this study, the functional responses of the predatory bugs, Orius laevigatus (Fieber) and Orius vicinus (Ribaut), to different densities of the eggs of the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and red spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), were determined under laboratory conditions. Different numbers of eggs (2, 4, 6, 8, 16, 32, 64 and 128) of both species of prey were offered to females of the above predators for 24-h in a controlled environment of 25 +/- 1 degrees C, 60 +/- 10% RH and under a 16L : 8D photoperiod. The parameters of the functional responses were assessed using Holling's Disc Equation. Both predators showed a Type II response to both prey. The attack rates (a) and handling times (Th) of the predators were computed for spider mites eggs: O. laevigatus (a: 0.972, Th: 0.007) and O. vicinus (a: 1.113, Th: 0.005), and whitefly eggs: O. laevigatus (a: 1.022, Th: 0.002) and O. vicinus (a: 0.772 Th: 0.006). Furthermore, the average number of B. tabaci eggs consumed by O. laevigatus females was greater than by those of O. vicinus. In contrast, O. vicinus was a more efficient predator of T. urticae eggs than O. laevigatus. Consequently, these results indicate that together these predators might be effective biological control agents in regulating populations of B. tabaci and T. urticae in agricultural ecosystems.