Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The predator guild associated withAceria litchii (Acari: Eriophyidae) in Australia and China

  • Published:
Entomophaga Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Lychees were surveyed in Queensland, Australia and in Guangdong Province and Hainan Island China, for natural enemies of the lychee erinose mite,Aceria litchii (Keifer), one of the most serious pests of lychee in Australia. A guild of seventeen predators, including ten species of phytoseiid mites, was associated with lychee erinose in Queensland. Six other predaceous mite species and a cecidomyiid larva,Arthrocnodax sp. were also part of the complex. Despite the apparent predation of most of the seventeen species recorded in Queensland onA. litchii, the pest continues to cause major problems. In China, whereA. litchii is a relatively minor pest, nine phytoseiid species were collected in lychee orchards. The value of introducing additional predators to Australia, especially from China, is discussed.

Résumé

Aceria litchii (Keifer) est l'un des ravageurs les plus importants des litchis en Australie et les ennemis naturels de cet acarien ont été recherchés sur ces arbres dans le Queensland (Australie) et dans la province de Guangdong et l'île de Hainan (Chine). Dans le Queensland, un ensemble de 17 prédateurs, incluant 10 espèces de phytoseiides, a été trouvé en association avecA. litchii. Six autres acariens prédateurs et une larve de cecidomyiide,Arthrocnodax sp. faisaient aussi partie de cette association. En dépit de la prédation apparente des 17 espèces récoltées au Queensland surA. litchii, le ravageur continue à causer d'importants dégâts. En Chine, oùA. litchii est un ravageur relativement inoffensif, 9 phytoseiides ont été récoltés dans les vergers de litchi. Il est particulièrement envisagé d'introduire des prédateurs supplémentaires en Australie, principalement en provenance de Chine.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alam, M. Z., Wadud, M. A.—1963. On the biology of litchi mite,Aceria litchi Keifer (Eriophyidae,Acarina) in East Pakistan.—Pak. J. Sci., 18, 232–240.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amitai, S. &Swirski, E.—1981. A new species ofAmblyseius (Acarina:Phytoseiidae) from the Far East.—Isr. J. Entomol., 15, 59–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anonymous.—1978. The litchi hairy mite,Eriophyes sp.In, Academy of Guangdong Agricultural Science (Editors). Guangdong Science and Technology Press. p. 131. (in Chinese).

  • Butani, D. K.—1977. Pests of litchi in India and their control.—Fruits (Paris), 32, 269–273.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, S., Chou, F. Zhuang, S. &Liao, L.—1982. Bionomics and utilization ofAmblyseius deleoni Muma and Denmark.—Acta Entomol. Sin., 25, 49–55.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehler, L. E.—1992. Guild analysis in biological control.—Environ. Entomol., 21, 26–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang, M. D., Mai, S. W., Li, S. X. &Situ, J.—1981. Biological control of citrus red mite,Panonychus citri (McG) in Guangdong Province.—Procl. Int. Soc. Citric., 2, 643–646.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang, T., Huang, K. W. &Horng, I. J.—1990. Two species of eriophyid mites injurious to litchi trees in Taiwan.—Chin. J. Entomol., Special Publication, 3, 57–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiang, H. H., Li, X. O. &Yao, Z. C.—1988. Biology ofAmblyseius eharai.—Nat. Enemies Insects., 10, 165–169.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luo, Z., Gan, G., Zhang, Y., Chen, C., Yao, D. &Xu, G.—1988. Population dynamics of citrus red mitesPanonychus citri McG. along with their predatory mitesAmblyseius eharai Amitai and Swirski and influences of pesticide application at the citrus orchard in the Changxing Island.—Contrib. Shanghai Inst. Entomol., 8, 233–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • McMurtry, J. A.—1981. The use of phytoseiids for biological control: Progress and future prospects.In,Marjorie A. Hoy (Editor), Recent advances in knowledge of the phytoseiidae. Publication 3284 Division of Agricultural Sciences, University of California, pp. 23–48.

  • Nishida, T. & Holdaway, F. G.—1945. The erinose mite of lychee.—Hawaii Agric. Exp. Stn. Cir. No. 48, 10 pp.

  • Overmeer, W. P. J.—1985. Alternative prey and other food sources. In: Spider Mites- Their Biology, Natural Enemies and Control. (W. Hell & M. Sabelis, eds), Elsevier (Neth.), p. 131.

  • Pinese, B.—1981. Erinose mite- a serious litchi pest.—Qld. Agric. J., 107, 79–81.

    Google Scholar 

  • Root, R. B.—1967. The niche exploitation pattern of the blue-gray gnatcatcher.—Ecol. Monogr., 37, 317–350.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schicha, E.—1987. Phytoseiidae of Australia and Neighbouring Areas.—Indira Publishing House, 187 pp.

  • Sharma, D. D.—1983. New record of predatory mites on litchi mite (Aceria litchi Keifer) in Bihar.—FAO Plant Prot. Bull., 31, 36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tanaka, M. &Kashio, T.—1977. Biological studies onAmblyseius largoensis Muma (Acarina: Phytoseiidae) as a predator of the citrus red mite,Panonychus citri (McGregor) (Acarina: Tetranychidae).—Bull. Fruit Tree Res. Stn., Japan. D149.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thakur, A. P. &Sharma, D. D.—1989. New records of predatory mites on mite pests of economic crops in Bihar.—Biojournal., 1, 155–156.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thakur, A. P. &Sharma, D. D.—1990. Influence of weather factors and predators on the populations ofAceria litchii Keifer.—Indian J. Plant Prot., 18, 109–112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vallance, G. W.—1986. History of the Australian lychee industry.In: The Potential of Lychee in Australia (C. M. Menzel & G. N. Greer, eds), Proceedings of the First National Lychee Seminar, 14 and 15 February, 1986 at Sunshine Plantation, Woombye, Qld., Australia. Sunshine Coast Subtropical Fruits Association, pp. 5–9.

  • Waite, G. K.—1986. Pests of lychee in Australia.In: The Potential of Lychee in Australia (C. M. Menzel & G.N. Greer, eds). Proceedings of the First National Lychee Seminar, 14 and 15 February, 1986 at Sunshine Plantation, Woombye, Qld., Australia. Sunshine Coast Subtropical Fruits Association, pp. 42–48.

  • Waite, G. K. &McAlpine, J. D.—1992. Honey bees as carriers of lychee erinose miteEriophyes litchii (Acari: Eriophyiidae).—Exp. & Appl. Acarol., 15, 299–302.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, W. &Luo, Z.—1990. A laboratory study on the life cycle and biology ofAmblyseius eharai (Acari:Phytoseiidae).—Chin. J. Biol. Contr., 6, 151–152.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Maroochy Horticultural Research Station, Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Sunshine Coast Mail Centre, P.O. Box 5083, 4560, Nambour, Queensland, Australia

    G. K. Waite

  2. Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 76100, Rehovot, Israel

    U. Gerson

Authors
  1. G. K. Waite
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. U. Gerson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Waite, G.K., Gerson, U. The predator guild associated withAceria litchii (Acari: Eriophyidae) in Australia and China. Entomophaga 39, 275–280 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02373032

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02373032

Key-Words

Search

Navigation