Amblyseius swirskii
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| Amblyseius swirskii | ||||||||||||
| Athias-Henriot , 1962 |
Amblyseius swirskii is a predatory mite from the Phytoseiidae family . It is used for biological pest control.
morphology
The teardrop-shaped body of the motile stages of this 0.5–1 mm predatory mite is beige to pink in color. With the naked eye they cannot be distinguished from the related species Amblyseius barkeri , Amblyseius cucumeris or Amblyseius californicus . The eggs of Amblyseius swirskii are oval, about the size of the eggs of the spider mites and are transparent to white in color. The young are glassy and transparent.
Way of life
nutrition
The warmth-needing species has a very wide range of prey. This includes the first larval stage of various species of thrips , eggs and the first larval stage of the whitefly ( Trialeurodes vaporariorum ) as well as various stages of spider mites , e.g. B. the common spider mite ( Tetranychus urticae ). Also Moder mites ( Tyrophagus putrescentiae ) or pollen will not be spurned. In the laboratory, she was even able to live to a small extent on the larvae and eggs of the scale insect Saissetia oleae .
Living conditions / development
Amblyseius swirskii develop well when the daytime temperature regularly exceeds 20–22 ° C. The predatory mite can also tolerate higher temperatures, which is why it is a useful addition to the use of beneficial insects under glass in the summer months (compared to e.g. Amblyseius cucumeris ) despite significantly higher costs. The development from egg to adult mite takes about 5–6 days at a temperature of 26 ° C. An average of two eggs per day are laid per female.
Younger predatory mite stages are more active than adult predatory mites or nymphs, which are (less active) looking for prey. They also lie in wait for their prey and suck it up. Amblyseius swirskii does not show a diapause and can therefore also be used in the winter months.
Use of beneficial insects
Since the 1970s Amblyseius swirskii has been scientifically investigated as an effective predator (predator) of the citrus rust mite ( Phyllocoptruta oleivora ) in Israel. It was introduced to the United States in 1983 to control citrus rust mites.
The predatory mite is also used in Germany in horticulture as a beneficial insect in horticultural production under glass, whereby the use of Amblyseius swirskii as the sole beneficial insect is not recommended for reasons of cost and effectiveness. For example, the parasitic wasp Encarsia formosa is used to combat the whitefly ( Trialeurodes vaporariorum ) that occurs in many greenhouses , while Amblyseius swirskii also counteracts the whitefly population. In spider mites, an effect can be observed when using Amlyseius swirskii , but it only eats younger spider mite stages and eggs and enters the spider mite herd as long as there are no webs (as in the case of a strong infestation). If spider mites occur more frequently, the additional predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis is necessary.
The repellants of beneficial insects recommend Amblyseius swirskii , also known as Swirski-Mite, above all for combating thrips and whitefly species. According to their information and practical experience, it can be used in peppers, cucumbers, aubergines, gerberas and cut roses. The presence of bee pollen as an alternative food source strongly promotes the establishment of the population. In pollen-rich crops such as aubergines and peppers, Amblyseius swirskii can B. build a larger population. In cultures without pollen, castor plants ( Ricinus communis ) are used as pollen donors. Is supplied Amblyseius swirskii as a loose litter material or of bags (with ~ 250 predatory mites and mites flour as feed mites in a Kleiegemisch) for suspending in the stock.
literature
- Claire Athias-Henriot: Amblyseius swirskii, un nouveau phytosiiide voisin d'A. andersoni (Acariens anactinotriches) . Ann. Ecole Nat. Agric., Alger, 3, pp. 1-7, 1962 (first description)
Web links
- Pictures and report on the research, Greenhouse Canada, 2008 (accessed May 24, 2013)