Experimental and Applied Acarology最新文献

{"title":"Establishment and evaluation of a rearing method for Tropilaelaps mercedesae using gelatin capsules.","authors":"Yu Chu, Tong Wu, Bo Han, Jing Gao, Pingli Dai","doi":"10.1007/s10493-026-01202-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-026-01202-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Tropilaelaps mercedesae is a major ectoparasitic mite threatening the western honey bee (Apis mellifera L.), yet the lack of standardized in vitro rearing methods limits mechanistic studies of its biology and control. Here, we extended a gelatin capsule-based rearing method for Varroa destructor to establish an verage, each reproducingin vitro platform for T. mercedesae. Reproductively primed females were co-cultured with freshly capped worker bee larvae (≤ 24 h post-capping) in gelatin capsules until honey bee emergence. To evaluate the efficacy of this method, the fitness of the original foundress mites was monitored throughout the rearing period. Results indicated a foundress mite survival rate of 47.57% (49/103). High fertility (95.92%, 47/49) was achieved among these mites. On a foundress mite produced 2.62 eggs and 1.13 surviving offspring, consistent with the reproductive output observed in natural colony conditions. All developmental stages and mating behaviors were also successfully recapitulated in vitro. These results establish a robust and reproducible rearing method for T. mercedesae, providing a tractable experimental system for investigating mite-host interactions and for developing targeted control strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"97 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149135367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative acaricidal effects of propolis samples from different regions of Türkiye against Varroa destructor.","authors":"Mehtap Usta","doi":"10.1007/s10493-026-01195-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-026-01195-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Varroa destructor is one of the most destructive ectoparasites affecting honey bee colonies worldwide, highlighting the need for alternative and naturally derived control strategies. In this study, propolis samples collected from three different regions of Türkiye (Giresun, Isparta, and Ardahan) were evaluated primarily for their acaricidal activity against V. destructor, together with chemical characterization and complementary antioxidant and antibacterial analyses. Propolis extracts demonstrated pronounced acaricidal activity, with mite mortality ranging from 71 to 100% during the 7-h exposure period. Survival analysis further demonstrated significant differences in mortality kinetics among the tested concentrations, indicating a marked time- and concentration-related response to propolis exposure. HPLC and GC-MS analyses revealed chemically diverse profiles containing phenolic acids, flavonoids, and aromatic constituents, including pinocembrin, galangin, chrysin, and caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE). Regional differences were also observed in antioxidant and antibacterial activities, with Ardahan propolis generally exhibiting a richer chemical profile and stronger biological activity. Overall, these findings demonstrate substantial acaricidal activity of Turkish propolis against V. destructor under laboratory conditions and support further investigation of propolis-derived preparations as potential natural components of integrated Varroa management strategies. However, additional studies evaluating efficacy and honey bee safety under colony conditions are required before practical application can be recommended.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"97 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149126881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diversity and community structure of phytoseiid mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) across agro-climatic zones of Himachal Pradesh, India.","authors":"C S Jayaram, P K Sharma, Vasu Mehta","doi":"10.1007/s10493-026-01199-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-026-01199-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigated the diversity, distribution, and community structure of predatory mites (Family: Phytoseiidae) across distinct agro-climatic zones of Himachal Pradesh. A total of 26 species were recorded from four altitudinal zones, revealing pronounced spatial heterogeneity in species composition and abundance. Zone 2 (mid hills) exhibited the highest species richness and diversity, followed closely by Zone 1, whereas Zones 3 and 4 supported comparatively fewer species and simpler community structure. Euseius prasadi emerged as the most dominant and widely distributed species, accounting for the highest proportion of individuals across all zones, suggesting broad ecological adaptability that may be associated with dietary flexibility and other ecological traits. In contrast, Paraphytoseius orientalis was predominantly confined to the lower altitudinal zones, reflecting greater habitat specificity. Several species, including Euseius alstoniae, Amblyseius neorykei, and Euseius kalimpongensis, were characteristic of the mid-hill zone, whereas Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) rickeri was restricted to the high-hill temperate zone. Diversity indices indicated greater species richness and community complexity in the lower and mid-hill zones, while higher-altitude zones supported comparatively simpler phytoseiid assemblages. Multivariate analyses further revealed differences in community composition among agro-climatic zones. Overall, the findings demonstrate distinct patterns of phytoseiid diversity and community composition across agro-climatic zones of Himachal Pradesh and provide a scientific basis for the conservation and utilization of predatory mites in integrated pest management programmes.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"97 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149126934","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intraguild predation by the predatory soil mite Blattisocius mali (Acari: Blattisociidae) and its predation preference towards conspecific and heterospecific prey.","authors":"Manoj Kumar Jena, Marcin Studnicki, Katarzyna Michalska","doi":"10.1007/s10493-026-01198-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10493-026-01198-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The predatory soil mites Blattisocius mali and Stratiolaelaps scimitus share similar prey and occupy similar habitats. This study explores intraguild predation (IGP) by various life stages of B. mali on the developmental stages of S. scimitus across different starvation periods, and their predation preference for conspecific and heterospecific eggs or larvae in the absence of shared prey at 25 °C, 85 ± 5% RH, and a 16 L:8D photoperiod. All feeding developmental stages of B. mali consumed S. scimitus eggs and larvae; however, they did not kill S. scimitus deutonymphs or later developmental stages. Few B. mali females killed S. scimitus protonymphs, whereas other developmental stages of B. mali did not kill these protonymphs. Interestingly, the propensity of B. mali females to eat heterospecific eggs was not affected by the starvation period. However, their predation on heterospecific larvae increased with increasing starvation period up to 48 h and then stabilized. Blattisocius mali females, males, or deutonymphs showed a greater propensity towards heterospecific larvae compared to eggs across all the tested starvation periods. Notably, the proportion of B. mali protonymphs that ate heterospecific eggs was significantly higher than that of other stages, and males had a significantly greater tendency to prey on heterospecific larvae relative to other stages. When given a choice, all life stages of B. mali clearly distinguished between conspecific and heterospecific eggs, preferring to prey on conspecific eggs. In contrast, when selecting between conspecific and heterospecific larvae, they preferred to prey upon heterospecific larvae. This study suggests that B. mali may interact with S. scimitus and feed on their eggs and larvae. Further studies are necessary to investigate the effect of IGP between B. mali and S. scimitus on their survival, reproduction, population dynamics, and ultimately pest suppression.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"97 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13634003/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149106266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"First molecular identification of Dermacentor montanus and new locality record of Argas hermanni from Hindu Kush and Himalayan ranges.","authors":"Jawad Hussain, Shafi Ullah, Mehran Khan, Mashal M Almutairi, Abid Ali","doi":"10.1007/s10493-026-01167-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-026-01167-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Soft ticks of the genus Argas are primarily associated with avian hosts, whereas hard ticks of the genus Dermacentor parasitize mammals. This study provides the morphological and molecular characterization of ticks collected from the nests of wild pigeons (Columba livia) and domestic yak (Bos grunniens) inhabiting Himalayan and Hindu Kush ranges of northern Pakistan, with emphasis on wildlife associated niches. A total of 146 ticks including 40 males, and 63 females and 43 nymphs of Argas hermanni were collected from nests inhabited by wild pigeons in District Abbottabad. Moreover, 91 Dermacentor montanus ticks comprising 38 males and 53 females were reported from domestic yak in District Chitral. Adults and nymphs of A. hermanni have a broadly oval, dorsoventrally flattened body with a rounded posterior margin and no mammillae. The integument shows distinct radiating wrinkles, and legs are inserted anteriorly with coxae IV positioned anterior to midlength. The capitulum is ventral, with short palps and a hypostome bearing 2/2 dentition. A semicircular genital aperture is present in adults, while nymphs show a closed genital depression. Morphological identification of D. montanus was established based on key diagnostic characters, including an ornamented conscutum with dense punctation, well-defined cervical grooves, characteristic coxal spurs, and a 3/3 hypostomal dentition pattern; importantly, it was distinguished from Dermacentor pavlovskyi by the morphology of the spiracular plates, which in D. montanus exhibit a minute dorsal prolongation, appearing nearly rounded, whereas in D. pavlovskyi the spiracular plates possess a distinct and pronounced dorsal projection. BLAST analysis of 16S rDNA and cox1 sequences from A. hermanni showed the highest identity of 98.17-99.69% with the same species reported from Iran. The BLAST results of 16S rDNA and cox1 sequences from D. montanus revealed highest identity of 99.65-99.75% with D. montanus and D. pavlovskyi from China. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S and cox1 demonstrated that A. hermanni grouped with conspecific sequences, forming a well-supported clade, whereas Dermacentor montanus grouped with D. montanus and D. pavlovskyi, indicating close evolutionary relatedness within the subgenus Asiacentor. These findings represent the morphological and genetic identification of A. hermanni and D. montanus in Pakistan and highlight previously undocumented tick-host associations, specifically the occurrence of Argas in wild pigeon nesting and D. montanus on domestic yak, expanding current knowledge of tick distribution and host ecology.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"97 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149024418","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effectiveness of incidence-based acaricide application for resistance management of the citrus red mite, Panonychus citri (Acari: Tetranychidae): a case study from Japanese citrus orchards.","authors":"Yuta Tsuchida, Shinichi Masui","doi":"10.1007/s10493-026-01192-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-026-01192-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Control of the citrus red mite, Panonychus citri (McGregor), is essential in citrus cultivation to prevent fruit value loss. In Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, although synthetic acaricides have been applied to P. citri only once per year since the late 2000s, acaricide resistance remains a serious problem. Our aim was to determine the state of susceptibility of P. citri to acaricides, and confirm the effectiveness of current control strategies in citrus-producing areas. First, we clarified the ovicidal effect of 10 acaricides at field-recommended doses on 26 strains of P. citri collected from fruit-producing orchards, a scion-producing orchard, and nursery trees introduced from inside or outside the prefecture. Next, LC₅₀ values for four acaricides were determined for the eggs and adult females of five strains collected either from orchards adopting control methods recommended by their respective agricultural cooperatives or from nursery trees. We confirmed milbemectin resistance in a strain collected from nursery trees and pyflubumide resistance in three strains from orchards where this acaricide had been applied annually for four or five consecutive years. These findings suggest that nursery trees represent a potential pathway for the introduction of milbemectin resistance from external regions, and that pyflubumide resistance can be established rapidly despite low-frequency (once-yearly) application. Notably, severe resistance was not observed in areas where producers decided on acaricide application based on mite density. These findings suggest that decision-making for acaricide application based on the incidence of P. citri may contribute to delaying or mitigating resistance development in citrus-producing areas.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"97 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148982027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Global climatic co-suitability patterns of the predatory mite Anystis baccarum and green peach aphid Myzus persicae under climate change.","authors":"Yibo Guo, Zhen'an Jin, Xuemin Hao, Haoxiang Zhao, Xuenong Xu, Wanxue Liu, Bo Zhang, Qingfeng Tang","doi":"10.1007/s10493-026-01196-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-026-01196-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Understanding how climate change alters the geographic correspondence between pests and their natural enemies is important for identifying regions where climatic conditions may support further biological-control assessment. The whirligig mite Anystis baccarum (L.) is a generalist predator known to consume a variety of small arthropod pests, while the green peach aphid Myzus persicae (S.) is a globally invasive pest that damages a wide range of crops. However, the global climatic co-suitability and future geographic correspondence between A. baccarum and M. persicae remain poorly understood. Here, we constructed ensemble species distribution models to predict the climatic suitability and climatically co-suitable areas of both species under current climatic conditions and two climate scenarios for the 2050s, SSP1-2.6 and SSP5-8.5. The ensemble models showed high discrimination under repeated random validation, with AUC values of 0.984 and 0.980 and TSS values of 0.856 and 0.831 for A. baccarum and M. persicae, respectively. The minimum temperature of the coldest month (bio_6) was the most influential climatic predictor associated with the suitability of both species. Under current climatic conditions, predicted suitable areas for both species were concentrated mainly in the Northern Hemisphere, with Europe containing the largest suitable areas. By the 2050s, the total climatically co-suitable area is projected to increase by 3.1% under SSP1-2.6 and 4.3% under SSP5-8.5, while the suitable ranges of both species shift toward higher latitudes. However, A. baccarum is projected to lose suitable habitat within the current suitable range of M. persicae, indicating a possible climate-driven weakening of their geographic climatic correspondence in some regions. These findings identify broad-scale patterns of climatic co-suitability between M. persicae and A. baccarum and provide a climatic basis for prioritizing regions where the biological-control potential of A. baccarum can be evaluated further under changing environmental conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"97 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148976087","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Metagenomic analysis of the midgut microbiome in Dermacentor abaensis ticks at different feeding states.","authors":"De-Yong Duan, Jing Ran, Xin-Long Guo, Lei Liu, Guo-Hua Liu, Masahito Asada, Tian-Yin Cheng","doi":"10.1007/s10493-026-01193-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-026-01193-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ticks are blood-sucking ectoparasites of humans and animals, ranking second only to mosquitoes as vectors of diseases. Dermacentor abaensis is distributed in Sichuan, Qinghai, and Gansu, China. Because D. abaensis harbors several pathogens, it poses a threat to public health and livestock production. However, the midgut microbiota of D. abaensis at distinct feeding states remains poorly characterized. Adult D. abaensis ticks at various feeding states were collected from yaks in Gansu Province, China. Genomic DNA was extracted from midguts and midgut contents of unfed, partially fed, and fully engorged female D. abaensis. A metagenomic sequencing approach was employed to profile the midgut microflora among three groups. A total of 83 phyla, 908 genera, and 1857 species were annotated across the three groups. At the phylum level, Pseudomonadota, Mucoromycota, and Ascomycota were the most abundant. At the species level, common bacterial species such as Klebsiella pneumoniae and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, alongside viruses and eukaryotes, were detected in all three groups. Unique microorganisms were also observed in each group: unfed (n = 305), partially fed (n = 59), and fully engorged (n = 20). Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis suggested that the D. abaensis microbiome contains a relatively high abundance of functional genes involved in lipid and amino acid metabolism across the three different feeding states. These findings indicate that while core microbial taxa are shared in the midgut of female D. abaensis, observable trends suggest variations in microbial diversity and composition as blood-feeding progresses. The present study provides a descriptive baseline of the midgut microbial composition of D. abaensis, which may inform future studies on tick biology and the ecology of tick-borne pathogens.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"97 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148944557","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatiotemporal clustering and ecological niche modeling of Varroa destructor infestations in honey bee colonies across Türkiye.","authors":"Rahsan Akpinar, Tuba Bayir, Figen Celik, Yasar Fatih Guler, Sami Simsek","doi":"10.1007/s10493-026-01194-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-026-01194-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Varroa destructor is the most important ectoparasite affecting honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies worldwide and represents a major threat to apiculture through its direct pathogenic effects and its role in the transmission of viral diseases. Despite its widespread occurrence in Türkiye, information regarding its large-scale spatial distribution and environmental determinants remains limited. This study aimed to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution patterns of V. destructor infestations across Türkiye using retrospective Space-Time Permutation Scan Statistics (SaTScan) and ecological niche modeling based on the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) algorithm. A total of 545 confirmed varroasis records collected from 1,196 colonies in 400 apiaries across 40 provinces during 2018-2019 were analyzed. Space-time cluster analyses identified statistically significant infestation hotspots under a 30-day temporal window and 20% spatial window. Nine clusters were detected in 2018, eleven in 2019, and thirteen in the combined 2018-2019 dataset. Persistent hotspot regions were primarily located in the Mediterranean, Eastern Anatolia, Southeastern Anatolia, Central Black Sea, and Northwestern Anatolia regions. Ecological niche modeling was performed using 166 unique occurrence records and nine bioclimatic variables. The final optimized MaxEnt model (RM = 1.5) showed moderate predictive performance (mean test AUC = 0.705). Mean temperature of the driest quarter (BIO9), precipitation of the warmest quarter (BIO18), precipitation seasonality (BIO15), and precipitation of the coldest quarter (BIO19) were identified as among the most influential climatic predictors. The predicted climatic suitability map indicated relatively high climatic suitability in Thrace, northwestern Türkiye, the Eastern Black Sea region, and selected parts of the Mediterranean and Eastern Anatolian regions. Visual comparison suggested that several statistically significant clusters occurred within climatically suitable areas predicted by the MaxEnt model. However, because no formal quantitative overlap analysis was performed, this correspondence should be interpreted cautiously. The integration of spatiotemporal cluster analysis and ecological niche modeling provides a useful framework for identifying current hotspots and climatically suitable areas that may support risk-based surveillance and targeted control strategies for varroosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"97 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148944576","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stage-specific susceptibility of Tetranychus urticae and Tetranychus merganser to Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae and their effects on reproductive traits.","authors":"Vicente Hernández-Valencia, Ma Teresa Santillán-Galicia, Ariel W Guzmán-Franco, Esteban Rodríguez-Leyva, Clemente de Jesús García-Ávila","doi":"10.1007/s10493-026-01189-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10493-026-01189-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Tetranychus urticae and Tetranychus merganser are economically important phytophagous mites for which sustainable control alternatives are required. Entomopathogenic fungi, such as Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana, have been proposed as biological control agents. However, information on stage-specific susceptibility and reproductive effects in these species remains limited. This study evaluated the susceptibility of eggs, larvae, nymphs and adult females of T. urticae and T. merganser to isolates of M. anisopliae and B. bassiana under laboratory conditions, and assessed their effects on oviposition and offspring sex ratio. Eggs and larvae of both mite species showed low susceptibility, with no significant differences between mite species or fungal isolate; mortality never exceeding 20%, indicating limited efficacy against early developmental stages of mites. At the nymphal stage, significant differences were detected only in T. urticae, where isolate Ma129 (M. anisopliae) caused higher mortality than B. bassiana isolate Bb88, although overall mortality remained below 20%. In contrast, adult females were the most susceptible stage, exhibiting approximately 70% mortality, with no significant differences between mite species or fungal isolates. Fecundity differed significantly between mite species; T. urticae females produced more eggs than T. merganser. However, within each mite species, fungal isolates did not significantly affect oviposition compared with the control. Female longevity was the principal determinant of total fecundity, with an estimated increase of 6.98 ± 0.17 eggs per additional day of survival, confirming the strong relationship between lifespan and reproductive output. Offspring sex ratio was female-biased (> 70%) and not influenced by fungal isolate or mite species, although it varied significantly over time. These results demonstrate clear stage-dependent susceptibility, with adult females representing the most vulnerable stage, while early developmental stages exhibited substantial tolerance. Under the conditions tested, the fungal isolates did not induce detectable sublethal effects on reproductive output or progeny sex ratio, highlighting the importance of targeting life-stage when incorporating entomopathogenic fungi into mite management strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":12088,"journal":{"name":"Experimental and Applied Acarology","volume":"97 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2026-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148929343","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}