TY  - JOUR
JF  - Acarologia
T1  - Functional response, numerical response, mutual interference and switching behavior of the predatory mite Euseius scutalis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) fed on Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)
VL  - 66
IS  - 3
SP  - 737
EP  - 750
PY  - 2026
SN  - 0044-586X
SN  - 2107-7207
PB  - Les Amis d'Acarologia
AU  - Gravandian, Mohammad
AU  - Shishehbor, Parviz
AU  - Esfandiari, Mehdi
AU  - Riahi, Elham
UR  - https://doi.org/10.24349/z1rt-4dai
DO  - 10.24349/z1rt-4dai
DA  - 2026-08-31
ET  - 2026-08-31
KW  - biological control
KW  - Phytoseiidae
KW  - cotton whitefly
KW  - foraging behavior
KW  - Tetranychidae
AB  - The predatory mite Euseius scutalis (Athias-Henriot) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is known to control tetranychid mites, scale insects, and whiteflies, including Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae). This study evaluated the potential of E. scutalis for controlling B. tabaci by examining its functional response, numerical response, mutual interference, and prey switching under laboratory conditions. A Type II functional response was observed when E. scutalis was fed B. tabaci eggs, with a searching rate (a) of 0.0093 and a handling time (T<sub>h</sub>) of 11.02. The numerical response of the predator indicated no significant differences in oviposition with increasing densities of B. tabaci eggs. Additionally, the per capita searching efficiency of E. scutalis remained constant as its density increased. Negative switching behavior was observed; in all ratios of B. tabaci eggs and Tetranychus turkestani Ugarov & Nikolskii eggs, the predator consistently preferred T. turkestani eggs. These findings indicate a low preference and performance of E. scutalis when targeting B. tabaci eggs.
ER -