During September-November 2006 in Giza Governorate mint oil, chamomile oil, neem oil and mixture of (neem, blackcumin and jasmine oils) compared with the chemical substance mavrik were tested for their efficacy in controlling thebee mite Varroa destructor on two stocks of Apis mellifera lamerkii. The efficacy rate in Egyptian race was 44.76%,66.64%, 4.95%, 52.88% and 89.54%, respectively, while in hybrid Egyptian carniolan was 64.75%, 41.08%, 61.7%,59.49% and 78.78%, respectively. This study indicates that neem oil is not suitable against Egyptian race, geneticcontrol by using the local Egyptian race Apis mellifera lamerckii and the cross-breeding between two geographicalraces resulting hybrid vigor could be an effective and reliable method for the control of Varroa destructor. Using mintoil and mixture of oils were also more suitable with cotton strips. Finally, the importance of cultivation of aromaticand medicinal plants around apiaries, as a cultural control, was recommended in IPM programmes to control Varroamite.
The efficacy of essential oils i.e. geranium oil, lemon oil, mint oil, chamomile oil and black cumin oil, used alone or inmixtures, compared with a chemical insecticide, mitac, against Varroa mite was evaluated. The infestation levels ofthese substances were evaluated in honeybee colonies during October, November and December 2005 in GizaGovernorate. Cotton strips, saturated with the tested substances, were hanged between the middle combs in alltreatments. The efficacy rate of geranium oil, lemon oil, mixture of (geranium, lemon, chamomile and mint oils) andmixture of (lemon, black cumin and mint oils), in comparison with mitac was 37.27%, 32.56%, 37.59%, 36.27% and53.64% respectively. This study indicates that using mixture of essential oils was more suitable with cotton strips incontrolling Varroa mite. Genetic improvement by using hybrid queens between Apis mellifera carnica (drones) andApis mellifera lamerkii (virgins), proved to be an effective and reliable method for the control of Varroa destructor.Cultural control by lemon oil or added to sugar solution was used in feeding the colonies, especially in winter. Puttingthe colonies in citrus garden and cultivation of geranium or chamomile around apiaries (these new cultural control)were added to IPM programmes for control Varroa mite.
The selective toxicity efficacy of entomopathogenic Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) fungus was evaluated against thetwo spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch and its predator Stethorus gilvifrons (Muls) under laboratory condition.The tested B. bassiana strain had been brought from Plant Protection Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Jokioinen,Finland. The activation of B. bassiana was carried out using Tenebrio molitor (L.) larvae as a bait insect. Conidia of growing fungus were extracted and counting of spores was computed. Five concentrations of the conidial suspension were prepared (3.92 x104, 3.92 x105, 3.92 x106, 3.92 x107 and 3.92 x108 spores/ml). Results revealed that the mortality rates for both adult females of the mite T. urticae and the predator S. gilvifrons infected by B. bassiana were positively correlated with stranded stage concentration and time dependent. There was a latent eight-day period between infestation and mortality achievement in both tested organisms. On the eighth day, LC50 values of B. bassiana were 2.702 x105 and 2.208 x1012 spores/ml for adult females of T. urticae and 2nd instar larval stage of S. gilvifrons, respectively. Such selective toxicity was also noted at LC90 level where the values were 6.1987 x1010 and 2.839 x1017 for adult females of T. urticae and 2nd instar larvae of S. gilvifrons respectively. These results showed that the entomopathogenic fungus B. bassiana has a potent selective toxicity against adult females of T. urticae compared with second instar larvae of S. gilvifrons.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of three pesticides selection pressure on the protein banding of thetwo-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch by SDS-PAG electrophoresis comparing. In this experiment, fourbatches of mite colonies reared for nine months away from any pesticide contamination were exposed for selectionpressure of the tested pesticides. The first batch was subjected to successive selection with chlorfenapyr, the secondpatch was subjected to repeated selection of fenpyroximate, the third one for repeated selection of hexythiazox, whereasthe 4th patch was left without any pesticide treatment as a check. Selection pressure was carried out at LC50 level ofeach of the tested toxicant. The selection was studied for 12 generations to follow up the development of resistance andthe resistance ratio (RR) values were calculated. The highest RR value of F12 selected generation was forFenpyroximate (14.32) followed by 12.06 for chlorfenapyr, while the lowest value was obtained by hexythiazox (4.22).Comparing the protein banding pattern of chlorfenapyr fenpyroximate, and hexythiazox resistant strains with thesusceptible one, it was found that the protein bands with MW (54 and 36 KD) appeared only in susceptible strain, whiledisappeared in the other tested resistant strains of the two-spotted spider mite T. urticae. The protein band with MW 44KD was appeared only in Hexythiazox resistant strain. The protein bands with MW 53 and 34 KD were only found infenpyroximate resistant strain of T. urticae, whereas such bands were not found in the other strains. The protein bandspattern with MW 146, 35 and 31 KD were found only in hexythiazox and chlorfenapyr resistant strains of T. urticae.Such result may indicate that the mechanism of resistance strains is similar for both strains.
During fall season, biodiversity of mites collected from parrots and Peacocks was recorded in Giza Zoo. Samples of dust,litter and debris from bird cages were examined. Mites were extracted using modified Tullgren funnel and mounted inHoyer s medium on microscopic slides for examination. Seventeen mite species of 15 genera belong to ten families wereidentified. Theses families belong to four suborders as follow: four to Actinedida, two to Gamasida, three to Acarididaand one to Oribatida. Three species were firstly recorded; one belongs to the family Acaridae and the others to the familyCheyletidae. Types of habits of collected acari founa were notedpredacious (35.2%), fungivourus (3.2%), parasitic(0.8%), phytophagous (4%), allergen (56.8%).
This investigation was carried out to evaluate the occurrence and distribution of soil mites at El-Maghara region, SinaiPeninsula, Egypt. Soil samples to depth 20cm were collected from different orchards, olive, citrus, fig and vine.Eighteen soil mite species in 18 genera and 16 families were found. Gamasida was represented by seven families, whileActinedida, Acaridida and Oribatida were represented by five, one and three families, respectively. Shannon Wienerindex (H'), Pielou's (J') and dominant analysis were estimated. Diversity index showed that actinedid mites have beenfound as numerically among the soil mites by 7 species and 222 individuals.
The efficacy of the predatory mite, Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot, against Tetranychus urticae Koch, the mainpest of Sweet Charlie and Tamar strawberry cultivars at Behera Governorate, was studied for two successive seasons2006 and 2007. Results revealed that the reduction percentage of different stages of T. urticae achieved after releasingP. persimilis at prey-predator ratio of 1/10 & 1/7, ranged between 50-80%. Reduction percentage recorded usingMacomite and Rohmactin approached that of P. persimilis. Results showed that the populations of T. urticae stageswere more abundant on Tamar than on Sweet Charlie cultivars.
Caloglyphus manuri sp. n. (Acari: Acaridae) extracted from chicken manure, in a chicken farm at the Faculty ofAgriculture, Mansoura University, Egypt. This new species is described and illustrated.
Some biological aspects of the Acaridae mite, Caloglyphus manuri Eraky & Osman fed on baker's yeast, dry cheeseand egg masses of the root knot nematode, Meloidogyne sp. were studied under laboratory conditions at 25±1 oC.Mean life cycle durated 5.90, 7.80 and 10.40 days for C. manuri female and 4.50, 6.40 and 8.10 for male when fed onbaker's yeast, dry cheese and Meloidogyne sp. egg masses, respectively. Female life span averaged 21.60, 19.40 and28.20 days, while it averaged 17.30, 15.80 and 35.8 days for male when fed on the previously mentioned food,respectively. Mean generation time (T) averaged 9.32, 11.82 and 15.85 days, net reproductive rate (Ro) values were346.40, 298.53 and 83.05 times, net rate of natural increase (rm) was 0.627, 0.482 and 0.278 individual/ /day and thefinite rate of increase (erm) was 1.87, 1.61 and 1.32 time/ /day on the same foods, respectively. Doubling time (DT) andgross reproductive rate (GRR) were 1.10, 1.43 & 2.49 ; and 447.28, 368.17 & 127.45 when fed on baker's yeast, drycheese and egg mass of the root knot nematode (Meloidogyne sp.). Baker's yeast was the most suitable food for rearingC. manuri.
The study herein presents brief characterizations and a new identification key for some Acaridides (43 species)collected from different habitats in upper Egypt during 1993 to 2003 in addition to a new species. The present key ofthe Acaridides hypopi is a blending of both keys illustrated by Eraky, 1997 (for 16 histiostomatid species pertaining to 6genera) and Eraky, 2000 (for 26 histiostomatid and acaridid species belonging to 12 genera). While, Eraky (1990)erected an identification key for all histiostomatid genera, the present work is a continuity of the collecting activity ofthe first author. Samples were collected from manure and dunghills (Assiut and Sohag Governorates), planted onion andgarlic, potato tubers, pomegranate and date fruits, uprooted banana suckers and rodent burrows (Assiut Governorate) ;nests of termites (Aswan, Qena and New Valley Governorates) and skin of dead animals (El-Minia governorate). Theidentification key is simple and easy to understand and the diagnosis is in most cases based on genera and species. Anew mite species, extracted from nests of termites in Qena Governorate, is described and illustrated.
The cucurbits; Sudanian watermelon, Sitrullus lanatus var. colocynthoides, Snake watermelon, Cucumis melo var.flexuous and squash, Cucurbita pepo L. were checked weekly to get relationship between the infestation with the twospottedspider mite, and certain chemical and morphological leaf characteristics. The experiment was carried out in twodistricts; Bahar El-Bakar; south Port Said governorate and El-Hosainia plain, north El-Sharkia governorate; throughoutthe two successive growing seasons 2007 and 2008.The population of the mite Tetranychus urticae Koch variedaccording to the crop, season and district. Peak of infestation (29.4 individual/inch2) occurred in July,2007 and(31.1 indiviuals/inch2) in July,2008.The morphological characteristic cleared that Sudanian watermelon has thickhairiness leaves compared with those of Snake watermelon (hairy), whereas Squash leaves are nearly hairless. Chemicaldeterminations of protein, carbohydrates, fats and crude fiber were (10.3, 70.1, 2.7 and 6.3 %) in Sudanian watermelon,(9.1, 56.7, 1.6 and 15.1%) in Snake watermelon and (7.2, 58.1, 1.5 and 15.4%) in Squash, respectively. Mite populationpositively correlated with increasing nutrient contents of leaves e.g. as crude proteins, crude fats, and carbohydrates andleaves hair.