The study was conducted to explore whether environmental differences, in this case the physical characteristics of abaxial leaf surfaces of strawberry cultivars ('Maehyang' and 'Sulhyang' cultivars), affect the functional response of adult female N. californicus preying on immature stages (egg, larva and nymph) of T. urticae. We also evaluated the functional response of N. californicus to eggs of T. urticae at different temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30 and 35℃). We conducted a logistic regression of the proportion of prey consumed as a function of initial prey density to identify functional response types, and used nonlinear squares regression and the random predator equation to estimate attack rates and handling times. The functional response of adult female N. californicus to T. urticae was not influenced by non-glandular trichomes and epicuticular waxes on the abaxial leaf but was affected by temperature. Overall, the functional response of adult female N. californicus exhibited a type 2 functional response to T.urticae. The handling time of N. californicus was highest (1.9970) against T. urticae nymphs. The attack rate did not change much at 15-30℃, but the handling time decreased linearly with increasing temperature. At 35℃, the attack rate was highest (0.1876) and the handling time was lowest (0.9296). The results of this study may be used to evaluate the potential of N. californicus to suppress T. urticae and to estimate parameters for relevant prey-predator models.

• Jeong Joon Ahn(Entomology Program, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University)
• Ki Woo Kim(National Instrumentation Center for Environmental Management, Seoul National University)
• Joon-Ho Lee(Entomology Program, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University)