The history of biological control of harmful organisms by mites is marked by outstanding achievements with a few natural enemies. The focus has been mostly on mites of the family Phytoseiidae for the control of plant feeding mites. This is an important family of acarine predators of plant pest mites, which are effectively used in agriculture worldwide. Besides the vast knowledge in several species in this family, there are as well many opportunities for other biological control agents, represented in an array of organisms which are constantly found by researchers worldwide. This has resulted in an increasing interest in predatory mite species within other families of the Acari orders Mesostigmata and Prostigmata, among others. This book compiles important developments with predatory mite species within the families Ascidae, Blattisociidae, Melicharidae, Laelapidae, Macrochelidae, Phytoseiidae, Stigmaeidae, Erythraeidae and Cheyletidae, which are emerging as important tools for integrated pest management. Pathogenic organisms attacking mites and the improvement of management techniques are also a subject of this book. The potential and gaps in knowledge in biological control using predatory mites and mite pathogens are addressed.

Inhalt

1. Mesostigmata as Biological Control Agents, with Emphasis on Rhodacaroidea and Parasitoidea.- 2. Potential of Ascidae, Blattisociidae and Melicharidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) as biological control agents of pest organisms.- 3. The potential of free-living Laelapid mites (Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) as biological control agents.- 4. Macrochelid Mites (Mesostigmata: Macrochelidae) as Biological Control Agents.- 5. The Phytoseiidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) as biological control agentes.- 6. Prostigmata (Acari: Trombidiformes) as biological control agentes.- 7. Stigmaeidae.- 8. The Erythraeoidea (Trombidiformes: Prostigmata) as biological control agents, with special reference to the genus Balaustium.- 9. The Cheyletoidea (Prostigmata), with special reference to the potential of Cheyletus malaccensis Oudemans as biological control agent of post-harvest pests.- 10. Food Web Engineering to Enhance Biological Control of Tetranychus urticae by Phytoseiid Mites (Tetranychidae: Phytoseiidae) in Citrus.- 11. Past, Present and Future: Biological Control of Spider Mites on California-grown avocados.- 12. Mite Pathogens and their use in Biological Control.