The lacewing as a potential biological agent for controlling the red palm mite .

Background: Compared to chemical control, the use of naturally occurring biological agents to control invasive pests is less threatening to the environment and human health.

Objectives: Here, we assessed the ability of immature stages of the lacewing (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) to prey upon different developmental stages of the red palm mite (Acari: Tenuipalpidae), one of the most destructive invasive pests of palm trees in Neotropical regions.

Methods: Increasing densities of three stages of (eggs, immature stages, and adult females) were offered to in coconut leaf arenas.

Functional response of Euseius concordis to densities of different developmental stages of the cassava green mite.

Both prey density and developmental stage of pests and natural enemies are known to influence the effectiveness of biological control. However, little is known about the interaction between prey density and population structure on predation and fecundity of generalist predatory mites. Here, we evaluated the functional response (number of prey eaten by predator in relation to prey density) of adult females and nymphs of the generalist predatory mite Euseius concordis to densities of different developmental stages of the cassava green mite Mononychellus tanajoa, as well as the fecundity of adult females of the predator.

Relative contribution of biotic and abiotic factors to the population density of the cassava green mite, Mononychellus tanajoa (Acari: Tetranychidae).

The cassava green mite, Mononychellus tanajoa, is a key pest of cassava, Manihot esculenta Crantz (Euphorbiaceae), and it may be kept in check by naturally occurring predatory mites of the family Phytoseiidae. In addition to predatory mites, abiotic factors may also contribute to regulate pest mite populations in the field. Here, we evaluated the population densities of both M.

Natural biological control of pest mites in Brazilian sun coffee agroecosystems.

Coffee is one of the leading commodities in tropical America. Although plantations are usually established under a canopy of trees in most producing countries in the region, Brazilian coffee is mostly produced under full sun conditions. Such simple, single-crop agroecosystems with intensive agrochemical inputs often suffer with pests like mites.