Saito, Y., 1979.
Study on spinning behaviour of spider mites III. Responses of mites to webbing residues, their preferences for particular physical conditions of leaf surfaces (Acarina: Tetranychidae). Japanese Journal of Applied Entomology and Zoology, 23: 82-91.
Abstract
Comparative studies on the responses of Oligonychus ununguis (Jacobi), Panonychus citri (McG.), Schizotetranychus celarius (Banks), Tetranychus urticae Koch to webbing residues and their preference for particular physical conditions of a leaf were carried out in the laboratory in Japan. Females of T. urticae and S. celarius were observed actively walking during the first h after their release on the leaves. Thereafter, they became much less active and spent most of their time feeding or resting. Females of O. ununguis showed a similar pattern of activity, though they were much less active during the first h, P. citri was the least active species during the first h. O. ununguis and S. celarius showed a strong preference for depressions along the vein, while those of T. urticae and P. citri did not. The females of O. ununguis mostly lived under their webs, those of S. celarius only under their webs, and those of T. urticae walked on or in their webs but fed mainly under them. The females of P. citri spun while walking but appeared to avoid their own threads and did not construct webs. It is thought possible that the threads produced by spider mites serve as lifelines and also act as building materials that are useful in structuring the microhabitat
