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 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) ...

This paper presents and compares four mathematical models with unique spatial effects for a prey-predator system, with Tetranychus urticae as prey and Phytoseiulus persimilis as predator. Tetranychus urticae, also known as two-spotted spider mite, is a harmful plant-feeding pest that causes damage to over 300 species of plants. Its predator, Phytoseiulus persimilis, a mite in the Family Phytose...

The role of herbivore‐induced volatile substances in prey‐finding by phytoseiid mites has been repeatedly documented using an olfactometer. The objective of the present paper is to test the hypothesis that movement by Phytoseiulus persimilis is affected by these volatiles even on plants. Two series of laboratory experiments were carried out. In the first series we stud...

Group-living animals frequently have to trade off the costs and benefits of leaving an established group and joining another group. Owing to their high fitness relevance, group-joining decisions are commonly nonrandom and may be based on traits of both individual members and the group such as life stage, body size, social status and group density or size, respectively. Many group-living animals...

Compensatory or catch-up growth following growth impairment caused by transient environmental stress, due to adverse abiotic factors or food, is widespread in animals. Such growth strategies commonly balance retarded development and reduced growth. They depend on the type of stressor but are unknown for predation risk, a prime selective force shaping life history. Anti-predator behaviours by im...

Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot is an important biocontrol agent for controlling spider mites (Tetranychus spp). Rearing P. relatively expensive due to the need raise (e.g. Tetranychus urticae Koch), as prey, on live plants. Frozen eggs of T. can be easily stored and used a potential feed laboratory rearing persimilis. This study investigated performance frozen compared with fresh food U...