Prey-specific experience affects prey preference and time to kill in the soil predatory mite Gaeolaelaps aculeifer Canestrini

Publication date: Available online 20 August 2019Source: Biological ControlAuthor(s): Kim Jensen, Søren Toft, Jesper G. Sørensen, Lene Sigsgaard, Torsten N. Kristensen, Johannes Overgaard, Martin HolmstrupAbstractGeneralist predators potentially have access to a wide array of prey, but it is little studied how experience with specific prey affects preference for this prey. In particular, it is unknown how experience with pest prey affects predator foraging decisions in cases where the pest is nutritious but protected by a repelling, potentially deadly defence. We investigated preference of the soil predatory mite Gaeolaelaps aculeifer Canestrini for the risky pest springtail Protaphorura fimata Gisin relative to the safe non-pest springtail Folsomia candida Willem. Egg production under foraging on live or dead individuals of either prey showed that the two species had equal nutritional quality for G. aculeifer, but indicated that live F. candida were more difficult to catch than live P. fimata. Importantly, some G. aculeifer were killed by P. fimata defence secretions, demonstrating that live P. fimata are risky prey. Preference for P. fimata was generally high when mites were given a choice between a live individual of either prey, but this preference was reduced following exposure to live individuals of this prey. Furthermore, fewer G. aculeifer killed a prey and time until kill was longer after experience with live P. fimata. These findings indicate that live P. fimata i...
Source: Biological Control - Category: Biology Source Type: research
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