The Phytoseiid Coffee Mite Amblyseius herbicolus (chant)

One of the most important predators of coffee pest mites are the phytoseiid mites. These are very widespread, having been reported as far apart as China and Latin America.

In Latin America 55 species of phytoseiid coffee mites have been reported. Because of there known predatory aspects they are often used in the biological control of coffee pests.

In Brazil one of the most abundant Phytoseiid mites is Amblyseius herbicolus (chant). This phytoseiid mite is able to attack the coffee pests Brevipalpus phoenicis and Oligonychus ilicis.

A Pest of Coffee in Brazil

In Brazil the mite Brevipalpus phoenicis a major pest of coffee and is associated with citrus leposis and coffee ring spot virus.

The coffee pest Brevipalpus phoenicis: Image by Wikimedia.

Coffee plants need to be rigorously and continually sprayed in order to control it, unfortunately the mites are very resistant to the phytossanitary products that are sprayed on it; additionally, these phytossanitary products also lead to environmental damage.

With this in mind Reis et al have investigated the potential for using the phytoseiid coffee mite Amblyseius herbicolus (chant) as a biological control for Brevipalpus phoenicis. better understand the mite to mite interactions they have studied the life cycle of Amblyseius herbicolus(chant). They took a look into the biology, fertility and predatory aspects of the mite.

Their findings of the life cycle of the mite are given in the next section of this article on the phytoseiid Amblyseius herbicolus (chant).

References
Chagas (1973). Associacao do acaro Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes) a mancha-anular do cafeeiro. Biologico 39: 229-232
McMurtry and Croft (1997). Life styles of phtyoseiid mites and their roles in biologyical control. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 42: 291-321
Reis et al (2007). Life History of herbicolus (Chant) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on Plants. Entomology 36:282 to 287