Olfactory response of Sancassania polyphyllae (Acari: Acaridae) to its phoretic host larva killed by the entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema glaseri (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae)

Efficacy of the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora using different application methods in the presence or absence of a natural enemy

“…Finally, Ekmen et al (2010a) demonstrated that when offered different food choices S. polyphyllae preferred tissues of its phoretic host, Polyphylla fullo (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), over wax moth G. mellonella tissues or living S. feltiae or H. bacteriophora IJs. It was established that S. polyphyllae may recognize the volatiles that emanated from either its dissected phoretic host larvae or insect larvae infected with EPNs over EPN IJs (Cakmak et al, 2013). Our results show that S. polyphyllae female mites found and consumed 3-day-old nematode-infected cadavers in the soil because there were significant differences between larval mortality with and without mites.…”

“…As a model we used the EPN Heterorhabditis bacteriophora against a bait insect in the soil with corn plants. In previous studies, we investigated the impact of the nematode predator Sancassania polyphyllae on EPN IJs released into the soil and on insect cadavers containing EPNs or IJs emerging from the cadavers (Karagoz et al, 2007;Ekmen et al, 2010a;Cakmak et al, 2013) under laboratory conditions. Two female S. polyphyllae consumed more than 80% of S. feltiae IJs on an agar medium in 24 h and mites also found and consumed nematode-infected cadavers before IJ emergence was initiated in the soil profile.…”

Entomopathogenic Nematodes in the Soil Environment: Distributions, Interactions and the Influence of Biotic and Abiotic Factors

“…Under laboratory conditions, omnivorous and nematophagous predators can be voracious feeders. In assays with raw field soil, the presence of astigmatid mites in the genus Sancassania (Sarcoptiformes: Acaridae) greatly reduced IJ production by S. carpocapsae, S. riobrave, and H. bacteriophora in G. mellonella (Greenwood et al, 2011; also see Cakmak, Hazir, Ulug, & Karagoz, 2013;Ekmen, Hazir, Cakmak, Ozer, Karagoz, et al, 2010;Karagoz, Gulcu, Cakmak, Kaya, & Hazir, 2007). Many nematophagous species have rapid development and high reproductive rates, exhibit some degree of specificity towards nematodes, and are capable of reproducing rapidly by parthenogenesis (e.g., mesostigmatid mites).…”

Trophic Relationships of Entomopathogenic Nematodes in Agricultural Habitats

“…When the IJs alone were placed at different depths in relation to mites in the soil column for 4 and 10 days, S. polyphyllae was not as efficient at finding the IJs when they were separated from each other in the soil. Recently, Cakmak et al (2013) used a Y-tube olfactometer and showed that S. polyphyllae preferred odors from tissues of its phoretic host, Polyphylla fullo L. (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), followed by S. feltiae IJs, G. mellonella and H. bacteriophora IJs, respectively.…”