Prey consumption and functional response of a phytoseiid predator, Neoseiulus womersleyi, feeding on spider mite, Tetranychus macfarlanei

The spider mite, Tetranychus macfarlanei (Baker and Pritchard) (Acari: Tetranychidae) is a pest of various crops and trees with a cosmopolitan geographic range that includes the country of Bangladesh. This study was conducted to evaluate the biological control potential of the predacious mite, Neoseiulus womersleyi (Schicha) (Acari: Phytoseiidae), against T. macfarlanei. The consumption rate (when offered egg, larvae, protonymph, and deutonymph as prey) and functional responses (over different prey densities) of N. womersleyi were investigated in laboratory experiments. Experimental results showed that the predator consumed significantly more larvae than other stages of T. macfarlanei. Logistic regression indicated that the predator exhibited a Type II functional response on all immature stages of prey; the number of prey consumed increased with prey…