News tagged with spider mites

Mites form friendly societies

For plant-inhabiting predatory mites, living among familiar neighbors reduces stress. This allows individuals to focus on other tasks and be more productive, in particular while they are foraging. The new study by Markus ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Mar 29, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 0

Spider mite genome sequence establishes tools to tackle pest resistance

(PhysOrg.com) -- The tiny two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae (only 0.3 mm in size) is a destructive worldwide pest that attacks more than 150 diverse crop plants, including tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, flowers, ...

Biology / Biotechnology

created Mar 07, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Big pest, small genome: Blueprint of spider mite may yield better pesticides

(PhysOrg.com) -- An international research team decoded the genetic blueprint of the two-spotted spider mite, raising hope for new ways to attack the major pest, which resists pesticides and destroys crops ...

Biology / Biotechnology

created Nov 23, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Lollipops with side effects: Plant's sugary offering betrays caterpillars to predatory ants

Trichomes, hair-like projections on leaves, are part of a plant's defense against herbivores: they can be obstacles, traps, or reservoirs for toxic substances. The hairs of wild tobacco Nicotiana attenuata ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Apr 25, 2011 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Getting dust mites to leave homes on their own

House dust mites, nearly microscopic creatures that inhabit every crevice of our lives and make us sneeze, have long been assumed to be solitary in behavior. Now new research has shown that they are actually ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Jan 06, 2011 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (10) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Whiteflies sabotage alarm system of plant in distress

(PhysOrg.com) -- When spider mites attack a bean plant, the plant responds by producing odours which attract predatory mites. These predatory mites then exterminate the spider mite population, thus acting ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Nov 26, 2009 | popularity 5 / 5 (3) | comments 0

Spider mite predators serve as biological control

The control of spider mites, which damage tree leaves, reduce fruit quality and cost growers millions of dollars in the use of pesticide and oil spraying, is being biologically controlled in Pennsylvania apple ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created Nov 02, 2009 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (4) | comments 0