First evidence of predation of the ant species Lasius alienus on the poultry red mite Dermanyssus gallinae

Abstract

The poultry red mite (PRM), Dermanyssus gallinae (De Geer, 1778) (Acari: Dermanyssidae), is a common and significant ectoparasite of the poultry industry worldwide. Although various biological, chemical, and physical methods have been attempted, an utterly successful control strategy has not been put forward yet. Our experimental investigations and observations revealed that the ant species Lasius alienus displays an effective predatory behavior on all biological stages of PRM. Our results also suggested that L. alienus is attracted by PRM-infested substrate at a distance. We concluded that predation by the ant on PRM is worth further investigation as it could possibly be an effective biological control strategy.