The adaptive canalization hypothesis predicts that highly fitness-relevant traits are canalized via past selection, resulting in low phenotypic plasticity and high robustness to environmental stress. Accordingly, we hypothesized that the level of phenotypic plasticity of male body size of the predatory mites Phytoseiulus persimilis (low plasticity) and Neoseiulus californicus (high plasticity) ...

neoseiulus californicus (mcgregor) is a predatory mite that can control spider mites. the effect of seven strawberry cultivars (including: ‘marak’, ‘yalova’, ‘aliso’, ‘gaviota’, ‘sequoia’, ‘camarosa’ and ‘chandler’) on the growth and development of n. californicus was studied in the laboratory conditions (27 ± 1 °c, 70 ± 5% rh and 16l: 8d photoperiod). there was significant difference in the nu...

Amblyseius swirskii, native to the east and southeast Mediterranean region, is a successful biological control agent of whiteflies. In this study, we investigated intraguild predations (IGP) between each stage of A. swirskii and each stage of two Phytoseiid species that occur in China, Amblyseius orientalis and Neoseiulus californicus. When there was no whitefly egg provided as the extraguild p...

We studied developmental plasticity under food stress in three female-biased size dimorphic predatory mite species, Phytoseiulus persimilis, Neoseiulus californicus, and Amblyseius andersoni. All three species prey on two-spotted spider mites but differ in the degree of adaptation to this prey. Phytoseiulus persimilis is a specialized spider mite predator, N. californicus is a generalist with a...

The adaptive canalization hypothesis predicts that traits with low phenotypic plasticity are more fitness relevant, because they have been canalized via strong past selection, than traits with high phenotypic plasticity. Based on differing male body size plasticities of the predatory mites Phytoseiulus persimilis (low plasticity) and Neoseiulus californicus (high plasticity), we accordingly hyp...

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, causes damage to crops grown in northeast Brazil. adoption of biological control methods and curative (plant-based insecticides) is an essential practice for pest management agroecological systems. Therefore, the aim present study was investigate chemical properties, toxicity, ovicidal activity oils (EOs) from Lippia sidoides, Croton rhamnifolio...