Predatory mites avoid ovipositing near counterattacking prey

Attacking prey is not without risk; predators may endure counterattackby the prey. Here, we study the oviposition behaviour of a predatory mite(Iphiseius degenerans) in relation to its prey, thewesternflower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis). This thrips iscapable of killing the eggs of the predator. Thrips and predatory mites - apartfrom feeding on each other - can also feed and reproduce on a diet of pollen.Because thrips may aggregate at pollen patches, such patches may be risky foroviposition by the predatory mites. We found that, in absence of thrips,predatory mites lay their eggs close to pollen, but further away when thripsarepresent. Predatory mite eggs near pollen were killed more frequently by thripsthan when they were deposited further away. The oviposition behaviour of thepredatory mite was also studied in absence of thrips, but in presence of thealarm pheromone of thrips. This pheromone is normally secreted upon contactwithpredators or competitors. When applied close to the pollen, predatory mitesoviposited significantly further away from it. When the alarm pheromone wasapplied away from the food source, most eggs were found near the pollen. Theseresults indicate that female predatory mites show flexible ovipositionbehaviourin response to the presence of their counterattacking prey.

[1]  S. L. Lima.  Nonlethal Effects in the Ecology of Predator-Prey Interactions What are the ecological effects of anti-predator decision-making? , 1998 .

[2]  L. Dugatkin,et al.  Prey approaching predators : a cost-benefit perspective , 1992 .

[3]  M. Sabelis,et al.  Spider Mites Avoid Plants with Predators , 1999, Experimental & Applied Acarology.

[4]  S. Marshall,et al.  Wolf spider predator avoidance tactics and survival in the presence of diet-associated predator cues (Araneae: Lycosidae) , 2001, Animal Behaviour.

[5]  M. Sabelis,et al.  The benefits of clustering eggs: the role of egg predation and larval cannibalism in a predatory mite , 2002, Oecologia.

[6]  S. L. Lima,et al.  Behavioral decisions made under the risk of predation: a review and prospectus , 1990 .

[7]  Y. V. Houten,et al.  Control of western flower thrips on sweet pepper in winter with Amblyseius cucumeris (Oudemans) and A. degenerans Berlese. , 1995 .

[8]  J. Borden,et al.  UTILIZATION OF WESTERN FLOWER THRIPS ALARM PHEROMONE AS A PREY-FINDING KAIROMONE BY PREDATORS , 1993, The Canadian Entomologist.

[9]  Yutaka Saitō.  Prey kills predator: Counter-attack success of a spider mite against its specific phytoseiid predator , 1986, Experimental & Applied Acarology.

[10]  M. Sabelis,et al.  Predators induce interspecific herbivore competition for food in refuge space , 1998 .

[11]  R. Knapp.  The influence of egg survivorship on the subsequent nest fidelity of female bicolour damselfish, Stegastes partitus , 1993, Animal Behaviour.

[12]  H. Wilbur,et al.  Choice of Oviposition Site by Hyla Chrysoscelis: Role of Predators and Competitors , 1989 .

[13]  L. Dill,et al.  The scent of death: Chemosensory assessment of predation risk by prey animals , 1998 .

[14]  Maurice W. Sabelis,et al.  Infochemical terminology: based on cost-benefit analysis rather than origin of compounds? , 1988 .

[15]  J. Chesson.  Effect of Notonectids (Hemiptera: Notonectidae) on Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae): Predation or Selective Oviposition? , 1984 .

[16]  M. Dicke,et al.  Direct and indirect cues of predation risk influence behavior and reproduction of prey: a case for acarine interactions , 1999 .

[17]  J. Petranka,et al.  Evidence of a chemically-mediated avoidance response of ovipositing insects to blue-gills and green frog tadpoles , 1991 .

[18]  M. Sabelis,et al.  UvA-DARE ( Digital Academic Repository ) How larvae of Thrips tabaci reduce the attack success of phytoseiid predators , 2004 .

[19]  M. Sabelis,et al.  Behaviour and indirect interactions in food webs of plant-inhabiting arthropods , 1999 .

[20]  F. Faraji.  How counter-attacking prey influence foraging and oviposition decisions of a predatory mite , 2001 .

[21]  J. Borden,et al.  Identification and bioactivity of alarm pheromone in the western flower thrips,Frankliniella occidentalis , 1993, Journal of Chemical Ecology.

[22]  A. Sih,et al.  Oviposition Site Selection and Avoidance of Fish by Streamside Salamanders (Ambystoma barbouri) , 1992 .

[23]  L. Tanigoshi,et al.  The Contribution of Extrafloral Nectar to Survival and Reproduction of the Predatory Mite Iphiseius Degenerans on Ricinus Communis , 1999, Experimental & Applied Acarology.

[24]  Defence against predators , 1986 .

[25]  Mark A. McPeek,et al.  Predation, Competition, and Prey Communities: A Review of Field Experiments , 1985 .

[26]  M. Sabelis,et al.  Diet of a polyphagous arthropod predator affects refuge seeking of its thrips prey , 2000, Animal Behaviour.