Evaluation of an anthocorid predator, Blaptostethus pallescens against two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae (original) (raw)

The two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) is a very serious pest of many crops in temperate and tropical climates. Several of the attempts to control this mite by using chemical insecticides have failed mainly because of development of pesticide resistance. Though several natural enemies have been recorded as potential predators of T. urticae, the predator used most often has been the phytoseiid mite Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot. Earlier studies have also indicated that anthocorid predators are effective biological control agents of spider mites. An anthocorid predator Blaptostethus pallescens Poppius (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) was collected from the field and successfully multiplied on the eggs of the rice moth Corcyra cephalonica Stainton. Laboratory studies indicated that B. pallescens could feed on 190 and 116 T. urticae nymphs during its nymphal and adult stages, respectively. In the net house studies, there was a 78% reduction in th...