The Kanzawa spider mite, Tetranychus kanzawai (Acari: Tetranychidae) constructs webs over leaf surfaces and usually lives under the webs. T. kanzawai produces two types of excreta, black and yellow pellets, and uses its webs as a place for excretion. T. kanzawai also uses its webs as a refuge when the predatory mite, Neoseiulus womersleyi (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is present. To clarify what factors deter N. womersleyi from foraging on T. kanzawai webs, I experimentally examined the effects of T. kanzawai excreta on its own fitness (fecundity) and the foraging behaviour of N. womersleyi. When the excreta of T. kanzawai was put on leaf surfaces, the fecundity of T. kanzawai adult females was reduced by the black but not the yellow faecal pellets. On the other hand, predation by N. womersleyi was reduced by the yellow but not the black pellets. Although this effect of the yellow pellets on N. womersleyi did not last on leaf surfaces, it deterred N. womersleyi from staying on the webs regardless of its freshness. These results suggest that T. kanzawai deposits black pellets on webs to avoid its negative effect on their own fitness, and yellow pellets are deposited on webs to reduce the risk of predation.

• Keiko Oku(National Agricultural Research Center, Japan)