FEEDING BIOLOGY OF PREDATORY MITE EUSEIUS ALSTONIAE (GUPTA, 1975) (FAMILY: PHYTOSEIIDAE) ON RED SPIDER MITE TETRANYCHUS NEOCALEDONICUS (ANDRÉ, 1933) INFESTING MORINGA OLEIFERA LAM.
C. BINOY *
PG & RESEARCH DEPT OF ZOOLOGY, MALABAR CHRISTIAN COLLEGE, CALICUT-673 001, INDIA
MARY ANITHALATHA SADANANDAN *
PG & RESEARCH DEPT OF ZOOLOGY, MALABAR CHRISTIAN COLLEGE, CALICUT-673 001, INDIA
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Mite species belonging to family Phytoseiidae are efficient biocontrol agents of phytophagous mites as well as other phytophagous insects. Controlled experiments were conducted to study the suitability and efficacy of E. alstoniae as a predator on T. neocaledonicus. . The current findings showed that the adult female predator efficiently preyed upon on different stages of pest mite suggesting E. alstoniae as a potential biocontrol agent for their augmentive release in controlling phytophagous RSM infesting Moringa leaves.
Keywords: Predatory mite, Phytoseiidae, Feeding potential