The role of familiarity in intragroup relationships and foraging behavior of the predatory mites Amblyseius swirskii and Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

10.22059/ijpps.2025.404155.1007095

Abstract

Here we investigated the effect of familiarity on foraging behaviour of the predatory mites, Amblyseius swirskii and Neoseiulus californicus. The Predators were reared on the bean plants infested with two spotted spider mites. First the predator grouping behaviour was tested and the results showed a significant difference between the paired distances (familiar protonymph, protonymph), (unfamiliar protonymph, protonymph), (familiar protonymph, larva), (unfamiliar protonymph, larva) and (unfamiliar larva, larva) in the 5th, 35th and 120th minutes of experiment. The paired distances of protonymphs and larvae were compared in the 5th, 35th and 120th minutes of experiment and we found an increase for the familiar protonymphs which was the least at the 120th minute. The same trend was observed for the unfamiliar protonymphs. Comparing the paired unfamiliar nymphs, we found that the interidividual distances were decreased at the 120th comparing with that at the 5th minutes of experiment. Comparing the paired protonymph and larvae distances in either familiar or unfamiliar patterns, we found the individual distances decreased in a slowly manner in the latter one till the 120th minute of the experiment. The paired distances of unfamiliar larvae showed no significant difference even when the data was compared between the 5th and 120 th minutes of experiment. Comparing the mean length of dorsal shield, we found a significant bigger shield in familiar A. swirskii rather that the unfamiliar ones.

Keywords

Iranian Journal of Plant Protection Science

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 16 December 2025

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History

  • Receive Date: 22 October 2025
  • Revise Date: 11 December 2025
  • Accept Date: 16 December 2025

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