PREY PREFERENCES OF ADULT AND IMMATURE ZETZELLIA MALI EWING (ACARI: STIGMAEIDAE) AND TYPHLODROMUS CAUDIGLANS SCHUSTER (ACARI: PHYTOSEIIDAE)

Abstract

Effective management of the interactions within the mite community is critical to biological control of economically damaging phytophagous mites such as Panonychus ulmi Koch (Tetranychidae) (Clements and Harmsen 1990). Although much is known about the potential role of phytoseiid mites in controlling P. ulmi (Dover et al. 1979), mites from at least seven other families may be present in apple orchards (Thistlewood 1991). Stigmaeid mites are predators which may play a beneficial role in biological control in conjunction with phytoseiids (Clements and Harmsen 1992). Eriophyid mites are phytophagous but seldom cause economic damage, and may compete with tetranychids and provide alternative food for predators of tetranychids (Croft and Hoying 1977).