Biological control of the red palm weevil, rhynchophorus ferrugineus [olivier] [coleoptera: curculionidae] by the parasitoid mite, rhynchopolipus rhynchophori [Ewing] [Acarina: podapolipidae]

ABSTRACT

The parasitoid mite, Rhynchopolipus rhynchophori was released against the red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus stages. Released of this mite applied at four levels of treatment, A [30 parasitic mites 1 prey], B [60 parasitic mites 1 prey], C [90 parasitic mites 1 prey] and D [120 parasitic mites 1 prey]. The parasitoid mites successfully suppressed population density of the red palm weevil, R. ferrugineus stages within two weeks. The killing of different developmental stages of the red palm is due to sucking their body fluid by the parasitoid mite, Rh. rhynchphori. But, the pupal weight was significantly [P < 0.5] decreased by increasing numbers of parasitoid mites at the different treatment levels