According to Farazmand and Fathipour (2015), three predator species
N. californicus, T. bagdasarjani and S. longicornis, in single-predator or
combined-predator releases, affected to control TSSM on cucumber plants. They
observed that TSSM control was at equivalent levels under different predator
combinations. Their study showed that the predator combinations did not increase
pest suppression inevitably compared with single application treatments. They
observed that the densities of two phytoseiids, N. californicus and T. bagdasarjani
were similar in the absence or presence of each other, suggesting that intraguild
predation may not occur between the two phytoseiid species and when extraguild
prey present, they did not engage in intraguild predation (Farazmand et al. 2012c).
Moreover, a combined release of the two species did not significantly impact TSSM
density than when each predator was released alone. It is noteworthy that
N. californicus is a specialist predator, but T. bagdasarjani is a generalist (McMurtry
et al. 2013). However, both species belong to Type III lifestyle and are able to
survive in the absence of main prey (T. urticae) (Farazmand et al. 2012c).
Their results showed that all three species are effective predators of T. urticae
under microcosm conditions and suggest that they can be used in combination
without decreased efficacy through intraguild predation. This study has implications
for the use of multiple species of predators in biological control programs. However,
because of the short experimental period, and a practical application of their findings
for biological control of TSSM, further comprehensive long-term studies in experimental greenhouses are necessary for a full evaluation of the biocontrol efficiency of
the three predators (Farazmand and Fathhipour 2015).
Toxicological bioassay confirmed the negative effect of spirodilofen on survival,
daily oviposition and daily predation rate while Azadirachtin seems safe to this
predator (Seidpisheh et al. 2016). Besides laboratory assays, the aggregated spatial
distribution of this predator in relation to T. urticae on apple was shown. However,
a density-independence predation pattern on T. urticae might create suspicions about
its efficacy (Darbemamieh 2008).
4.3.1.1.4 Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot
Recently, this predator has been noticed as a candidate against mites, whiteflies and
thrips pests in Iranian greenhouses, which among them prefers spider mite than
greenhouse whitefly nymphs (Heydari et al. 2016a). However, quite unexpectedly, this species had higher predation on T. vaporariorum eggs than T. urticae
eggs on leaves heavily covered by fine silk webs of T. urticae (Mortazavi et al.
2017b). Different studies on life table, effect of pesticides, intraguild interactions,
cannibalism, predation rate, switching and prey preference, patch and oviposition
behavior, predator-prey dynamics of A. swirskii carried out during last decade in Iran
(Rezaie 2010a; Haghani et al. 2013; Askarieh Yazdi et al. 2015; Soleymani et al.
2015, Jalili Zenoozi et al. 2016; Heydari et al. 2016a, b; Mortazavi et al. 2017a;
Fadaei et al. 2018). This predator showed a type II response to young instar nymphs
(first and second instars) of greenhouse whitefly. Meanwhile, with increasing prey
4 Applied Ecology of Some Predacious Mites in Iran
151
N. californicus, T. bagdasarjani and S. longicornis, in single-predator or
combined-predator releases, affected to control TSSM on cucumber plants. They
observed that TSSM control was at equivalent levels under different predator
combinations. Their study showed that the predator combinations did not increase
pest suppression inevitably compared with single application treatments. They
observed that the densities of two phytoseiids, N. californicus and T. bagdasarjani
were similar in the absence or presence of each other, suggesting that intraguild
predation may not occur between the two phytoseiid species and when extraguild
prey present, they did not engage in intraguild predation (Farazmand et al. 2012c).
Moreover, a combined release of the two species did not significantly impact TSSM
density than when each predator was released alone. It is noteworthy that
N. californicus is a specialist predator, but T. bagdasarjani is a generalist (McMurtry
et al. 2013). However, both species belong to Type III lifestyle and are able to
survive in the absence of main prey (T. urticae) (Farazmand et al. 2012c).
Their results showed that all three species are effective predators of T. urticae
under microcosm conditions and suggest that they can be used in combination
without decreased efficacy through intraguild predation. This study has implications
for the use of multiple species of predators in biological control programs. However,
because of the short experimental period, and a practical application of their findings
for biological control of TSSM, further comprehensive long-term studies in experimental greenhouses are necessary for a full evaluation of the biocontrol efficiency of
the three predators (Farazmand and Fathhipour 2015).
Toxicological bioassay confirmed the negative effect of spirodilofen on survival,
daily oviposition and daily predation rate while Azadirachtin seems safe to this
predator (Seidpisheh et al. 2016). Besides laboratory assays, the aggregated spatial
distribution of this predator in relation to T. urticae on apple was shown. However,
a density-independence predation pattern on T. urticae might create suspicions about
its efficacy (Darbemamieh 2008).
4.3.1.1.4 Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot
Recently, this predator has been noticed as a candidate against mites, whiteflies and
thrips pests in Iranian greenhouses, which among them prefers spider mite than
greenhouse whitefly nymphs (Heydari et al. 2016a). However, quite unexpectedly, this species had higher predation on T. vaporariorum eggs than T. urticae
eggs on leaves heavily covered by fine silk webs of T. urticae (Mortazavi et al.
2017b). Different studies on life table, effect of pesticides, intraguild interactions,
cannibalism, predation rate, switching and prey preference, patch and oviposition
behavior, predator-prey dynamics of A. swirskii carried out during last decade in Iran
(Rezaie 2010a; Haghani et al. 2013; Askarieh Yazdi et al. 2015; Soleymani et al.
2015, Jalili Zenoozi et al. 2016; Heydari et al. 2016a, b; Mortazavi et al. 2017a;
Fadaei et al. 2018). This predator showed a type II response to young instar nymphs
(first and second instars) of greenhouse whitefly. Meanwhile, with increasing prey
4 Applied Ecology of Some Predacious Mites in Iran
151