Neoseiulus fallacis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is one the most abundant predacious mites in North Carolina apple orchards. To assess the effect of a diversity of reduced-risk insecticides on the development and mortality of N. fallacis immatures, 12 hour-old eggs were individually placed on bean leaf disks previously dipped in insecticide solutions. Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) females were added as food source. None of the reduced risk insecticides significantly affected development of N. fallacis when compared to the control; however, the pyrethroids esfenvalerate and fenpropathrin were highly toxic to immatures. To evaluate the effect of insecticides on mortality and ovipostion of N. fallacis, 9 to10 day-old females were confined on insecticide-treated bean leaves. Malephora crocea (Aizoaceae) pollen was added as a supplementary food source. Spinosad caused the highest mortality, while azinphosmethyl, acetamiprid, fenpropathrin, and imidacloprid were moderately toxic, and esfenvalerate, indoxacarb, thiacloprid, methoxyfenozide, pyriproxyfen, and thiamethoxam resulted in the lowest mortality. Oviposition was affected in a similar manner, with the exception of acetamiprid that did not affect egg production, and thiamethoxam which reduced oviposition.
Species 1: Acari Phytoseiidae Neoseilus fallacis
Species 2: Acari Tetranychidae Tetranychus urticae (Twospotted spider mite)
Species 3: Rosales Rosaceae Malus domestica (apple)
Keywords: predatory mite, reduced risk insecticide
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