Mating behavior of the predatory mite Euseius scutalis (Acari: Phytoseiidae).

The mating behavior of the predatory mite Euseius scutalis (Athias-Henriot) (Acari:Phytoseidae) was studied under laboratory conditions at a constant temperature of 25 ± 1 ºC, 60 ± 5% relative humidity and photoperiod of 16: 8 h (L: D). Twenty pairs of newly emerged virgin females and unmated males were kept separately on plastic discs in Petri dishes (9 cm diameter) and their mating behavior was observed continuously under a stereomicroscope using cold light. During mating behavior four phases were recognized. The mean time until the first contact of female and male individuals was approximately 14.4 ± 3.25 minutes (Phase 1). After the first contact the mite male moved to the top of female's dorsum and stayed there for a short time and later moved to the underneath of her in mating position (venter-to-venter position). The mean time needed for this phase was 0.17 ± 0.01 minutes (Phase 2). Then the female walked for mean of 1.09 ± 0.03 minutes in venter-to-venter position (Phase 3). Subsequently the female mite remained still in the mating position for mean of 16.8 ± 0.78 minutes during which probably the sperm transferred from male to female (Phase 4). In addition our results indicated that no changes were observed in the spermathecae of virgin females; after mating most of the females had one spermatophore in one spermatheca while in few of tested females one spermatophore was found in both spermathecae.