포식성이리응애류는 섭식행동이 왕성한 천적군으로 알려져 있으며, 다수의 종들이 상업적으로 개발되고 있다. 이에 우리는 국내 토착 포식성이리응애의 이용도를 탐색하였다. 2012년까지 국내에서 서식이 보고된 포식성이리응애류은 47종을 대상으로 구글 학술검색을 이용하여 논문수를 조사한 결과, 사막이리응애가 3,560개로 가장 많은 수가 검색되었다. 천개 이상의 논문이 검색된 종은 서양이리응애(3,160개), 나팔이리응애(1,590개), 순이리응애(1,510개), 대중이리응애(1,260개), 긴털이리응애(1,190개), 동양이리응애 (1,020개)이었다. 백개 이상의 논문이 검색된 종은 긴꼬리이리응애(314개), 알락이리응애(109개), 엷은줄이리응애(345개), 북방이리응애(143개), 꽃무늬이리응애(200개) 등 5종이었다. 이 중 전세계적으로 상품화가 보고된 종은 사막이리응애, 서양이리응애, 나팔이리응애이다. 국내에 서식이 보고되지 않았으나, 국내외 농업현장에서 가장 많이 사용되는 지중해이리응애는 5,060개가 보고되었다. 긴꼬리이리응애는 국내에서 47종의 식물에서 서식하여 가장 많은 식물 종에서 발견된 포식성이리응애로 농업해충인 점박이응애, 총채벌레류, 가루이류를 포식하며, 농업해충 외에 농작물해충이 아닌 긴털가루응애, 설탕응애, 꽃가루 등의 섭식을 확인하여 앞으로 국내에서 농업해충을 방제하기 위한 천적으로 활용여부에 대한 적극적인 검토가 요구된다.

Amblyseius eharai is a native predatory mite in Korea and a candidate of biological control agent to control spidermites. To evaluate the predation ability of A. eharai, its functional response was tested at 10, 30, 50, 70 and 130 larvaeof Tetranychus urticae. A. eharai showed the Type 2 functional response. The attack rate of female and male A. eharaiwas 0.109 and 0.019, respectively. The handling time of female and male was 0.164 h and 0.234 h, respectively. Theattack rate was significantly different between male and females at 95% confidence interval. However, handling time wasnot statistically different. In comparison with Neoseiulus californicus, attack rate and handling time of A. eharai werebetter than N. californicus. These result should be helpful for evaluation of A. eharai for a biological agent against T.urticae.

Effects of temperature on development and ovipistion of Amblyseius eharai, were examined at 11 constant temperatures (18.0, 20.1, 21.6, 24.0, 24.1, 27.4, 28.6, 30.2, 32.0, 33.2 and 35.9 °C), and six constant temperatures (18.0, 21.6, 24.1, 27.4, 30.2 and 33.2 °C) by using Tetranychus urticae as prey. Developmental rates were fitted with a nonlinear Briere 1 model, which estimated optimal temperatures for the development as 30.6 °C for total immature stage. In a linear model, the lower thresholds and thermal requirements (DD) were 13.2 °C (71.94 DD) for total immature stage. Fecundity was well described with the Extreme value function, which indicated optimal temperatures for the oviposition as 24.3 °C. Overall, findings herein provide comprehensive data and explanations on the temperature-dependent development and oviposition of A. eharai, and prove the probability of A. eharai as a good biological agent for T. urticae in early or late crop seasons, and/or at low temperature cultivation farm lands.

Amblyseius eharai is a good candidate for biological control agent for major agricultural pest mites such as twospotted spider mites, rust mites, etc. in orchard systems. A. eharai is a native predatory mite of East Asia, and is one of the abundant predatory mites in orchards in Korea. However, ecological studies on this species including its reproductive ability have not been studied yet. Thus, in this study, temperature-dependent developmental rate of adult A. eharai, and three major oviposition related models were studied using six constant temperatures (18.0, 21.6, 24.1, 27.4, 30.2 and 33.2 ℃) with Tetranychus urticae as prey. Temperature-dependent developmental rate, survival rate and oviposition rate of A. eharai adults were well described with a non-linear equation (r2=0.99), a reverse sigmoid function (r2=0.94), and a Weibull function (r2=0.98), respectively. The fecundity was fitted with an Extreme value function (r2=0.99) and the highest in 24.3 ℃. These results would be helpful to verify the abilities of A. eharai as a bio-control agent in the fruit trees.