Plant defences and spider-mite web affect host plant choice and performance of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci

Abstract Herbivores select host plants depending on plant quality and the presence of predators competitors. Competing herbivores change quantity through consumption, but they can also induction defences, this affects performance that arrive later plant. Some herbivores, such as spider mite Tetranychus evansi , do not induce, suppress later-arriving profit from suppression. It has been suggested dense web produced by serves to prevent other settle benefit suppressed defences. Here, we confirmed studying preference whitefly Bemisia tabaci a generalist herbivorous pest. To disentangle effects changes in defences spider-mite web, included treatments with strain closely-related web-producing T. urticae which induces Whiteflies did perform worse induced but, contrast better . Moreover, both mites reduced juvenile survival whiteflies, whiteflies avoided were covered web. Hence, was only affected mites, thus protect against potential competitors, especially when these could suppression mites.