Laboratory evaluation of anthocorid bug, Blaptostethus pallescens Poppius (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) against European red mite, Panonychus ulmi (Koch) and two spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch infesting apple in Kashmir

Abstract

A single 8 day's old nymph, mature female and mature male of anthocorid bug B. pallescens Poppius consumed an average of 9.2 10.0 and 10.0 eggs of two spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch respectively, whereas similar stage of bugs consumed an average of 7.2, 9.8 and 9.4 eggs of European red mite, Panonychus ulmi (Koch) during a period of three days at 1:10 predator- prey ratio. Rate of consumption increased gradually in relation to increased predator- prey ratio up to 1:30. Data on consumption rate when denoted in terms of per cent host egg mortality was found declining gradually in relation to predator- prey ratio, both for two spotted spider mite and European red mite which was due to increasing chance of escape of host eggs from predation. Although potential feeding by all the stages of the bug used was positively correlated with prey density however result on was found varying at different predator- prey used. % host egg mortality by 8 day's old nymph, mature female and mature male when compared for the two hosts, through Student's t- test, statistically significant differences were obtained, except between mature female and mature male. A regression model Y = a+bx (where Y= Consumption of host eggs in three days; a= constant, x= Number of predator) has also been established to predict potentials of all predatory stages of bug against both TSSM and ERM.