their way to the prey within the first 24 h
(Table 16.3). In all six replicates, the 18-day-
stored adults found the target leaf within 24
h (Table 16.4). Establishment of the predators
on the target leaf was recorded in four repli-
cates for the 5-day-stored adults and in all
the six replicates for the 18-day-stored adults
(Tables 16.3 and 16.4).
Results and Discussion: Comparing
Laboratory Performance and Searching
Capacity
The first attempts to compare the perfor-
mance of P. persimilisin a laboratory fecun-
dity test with its performance in a
greenhouse-cage searching-ability test were228 S. Steinberg and H. Cain
Table 16.2.Searching ability of Phytoseiulus persimilis (P. p) when placed on the top leaves of a
cucumber plant with spider mites at the lower part of the plant.
Situation of P. ppopulation on the
DayP. pfirst found infested leaf after 7 days
Rep. no. Leaf distance* on the infested leaf Adults Young stages Eggs
111 – – ––
211 – – ––
311 3 2 –2
48 – –––
59 5 111*Between the spider-mite-infested leaf and the leaf on which P. persimiliswas introduced.
Table 16.3.Searching ability of 5-day-old Phytoseiulus persimilis (P. p). The spider-mite-infested leaf is
located above the predator’s release site.
Situation of P. ppopulation on the
DayP. pfirst found infested leaf after 7 days
Rep. no. Leaf distance* on the infested leaf Adults Young stages Eggs
110 1 4 8–
29 1 6––
310 – – ––
49 1 2––
510 1 1 ––*Between the spider-mite-infested leaf and the leaf on which P. persimiliswas introduced.
Table 16.4.Searching ability of 18-day-old Phytoseiulus persimilis (P. p). The spider-mite-infested leaf is
located above the predator’s release site.
Situation of P. ppopulation on the
DayP. pfirst found infested leaf after 7 days
Rep. no. Leaf distance* on the infested leaf Adults Young stages Eggs
111 1 3 ––
210 1 1 –9
39 1 3––
410 1 3 5–
59 1 4––
68 1 2–1*Between the spider-mite-infested leaf and the leaf on which P. persimiliswas introduced.