The age-specific functional response of Blattisocius mali (Acari: Mesostigmata) preying on the acarid mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae

The characteristics, including the foraging behaviour of an adult predator, are crucial for assessing its impact on prey populations within an ecosystem. Our recent research aimed to explore how the age and sex of the adult predatory soil mite Blattisocius mali Oudemans (Acari: Mesostigmata) impact its predatory behaviour when preying on the mould mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae Schrank (Acari: Acaridae). Male or female B. mali of five ages, 2, 10, 18, 26, and 34-day-old were exposed to seven prey densities ranging between 10 and 160 eggs. We employed logistic regression and Hassell's model to determine the type of functional response and its parameters, respectively. Across all ages, both male and female B. mali exhibited Type III functional responses. The handling time (T _h ) for 10-day-old adult males was the shortest, i.e., 0.0114 days, indicating their highest efficiency at this age. In contrast, the handling times for 34-day-old and 10-day-old female adults were shorter, i.e., 0.0070 and 0.0072 days, respectively, indicating that female B. mali were more efficient at these ages than others. The predation rate varied with age in females but remained unchanged in males. Overall, both male and female B. mali have the potential to serve as effective biological control agents for T. putrescentiae throughout their lives.