The lacewing Ceraeochrysa caligata as a potential biological agent for controlling the red palm mite Raoiella indica

Abstract

Background Compared to chemical control, the use of naturally occurring biological agents to control invasive pests is less threatening to the environment and human health. Objectives Here, we assessed the ability of immature stages of the lacewing Ceraeochrysa caligata (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) to prey upon different developmental stages of the red palm mite Raoiella indica (Acari: Tenuipalpidae), one of the most destructive invasive pests of palm trees in Neotropical regions. Methods Increasing densities of three stages of R. indica (eggs, immature stages, and adult females) were offered to C. caligata in coconut leaf arenas. The immature stages of C. caligata were less than 24 h old and were starved before being transferring to the arenas. The amount of prey consumed was recorded 6 h after releasing the C. caligata. Results Our results indicated that the ability of C. caligata to feed upon R. indica increased with the larval development of the predator. Higher feeding levels and shorter handling times were recorded for the first and second instars of C. caligata when preying upon the eggs and immature stages of R. indica. Furthermore, C. caligata individuals of different stages exhibited differential functional responses according to prey type (i.e., eggs, immatures, or adult females of R. indica). Ceraeochrysa caligata second instar individuals exhibited a sigmoid increase in consumption rate with increasing prey availability (i.e., a type III functional response) when preying upon immature stages of R. indica. However, when preying upon R. indica adult females, C. caligata second instar individuals exhibited a type II functional response (i.e., an increase in consumption rate with increasing prey availability, before reaching a plateau). Predator individuals of the first and third instar stages exhibited a type II functional response for all prey types. Conclusions Collectively, our findings demonstrate that C. caligata, especially at the second instar stage, has potential as a tool for ecological management of the red palm mite.

The green lacewingChrysopa formosaas a potential biocontrol agent for managingSpodoptera frugiperdaandSpodoptera litura

“…carnea (Hassanpour et al ., 2011; Sultan and Khan, 2014), C . rufilabris (Stewart et al ., 2002) and Ceraeochrysa caligata (Viteri Jumbo et al ., 2019). However, type III functional responses can be observed for several chrysopids, such as the third-instar larvae of C .…”

“…In addition to prey species and size, the predation efficiency of a predator also could be influenced by the numerical response of a group of predators (Mushtaq and Khan, 2010), the hunger level of a predator (Hassanpour et al ., 2015; Pan et al ., 2019), intraguild predation (Noppe et al ., 2012), prey distribution (Feng et al ., 2018), host plants (Barbosa et al ., 2019) and abiotic environmental factors (Parajulee et al ., 2006; Ziaei Madbouni et al ., 2017). Under complex environmental conditions in the field, the predator could exhibit a type III functional response caused by the growth of its body size (Viteri Jumbo et al ., 2019), prey switching (Schenk and Bacher, 2002) or the size of the search area (Feng et al ., 2018). To improve their biological control efficiency, chrysopids with a type II functional response would need to be released early and at a high predator–prey ratio in an augmentative biological control program.…”

Potential of Omics to Control Diseases and Pests in the Coconut Tree

“…This is a gregarious species forming colonies that live and feed on the coconut abaxial leaf surface. Today, R. indica is distributed in all tropical areas of the Americas, as well as Brazil, where R. indica can cause a significant reduction in coconut yield, particularly when temperature and precipitation increase [11,12].…”

“…Chemical control is the most prevalent method used to control diseases and pests affecting coconut palms, but it presents a serious challenge to the environment, and the health of insects, animals and humans. Chemical control can also generate resistance within the pests which may further result in secondary outbreaks [12]. The black-headed caterpillar, O. arenosella Walker, and the red palm weevil, R. ferrugineus, are controlled using chlorpyriphos 20EC.…”

“…In Brazil, attempts are being made to control R. indica with the predatory lacewing Ceraeochrysa caligata (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). The second instar of C. caligata has the ability to feed upon eggs and immature stages of R. indica, and may be a viable biocontrol agent against the red palm mite [12].…”