Tetranychus urticae changes its oviposition pattern in the presence of the predatory mites, Phytoseiulus persimilis and Typhlodromus bagdasarjani

Oviposition behaviors in herbivorous mites are affected by several factors i.e. food availability for juveniles and reduced predation risks. We used the twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Tetranychidae) to find out whether the previous presence of specialist/ general- ist phytoseiid predator individuals, Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot/ Typhlodromus bagdasarjani Wainstein & Arutunjan (here, direct effect) or their previous odour perception by prey (here, indirect effect) would affect T. urticae oviposition strategies. Tetranychus urticae female individuals were placed on a leaf disc in a plastic container with predators either on the same disc (direct presence of predator) or on the second disc (receiving odours related to a predator) in the same container. Getting experienced, the prey individuals transferred to the oviposition container to their oviposition pattern parameters get recorded. The ovipositing T. urticae were monitored in two experimental situations: 1. Receiving odours related to the predator- prey interaction from the second leaf disc in the same oviposition container during their oviposition period, and 2. Receiving no odour. Our results showed that when T.