Behavior of Male Twospotted Spider Mites1 in Response to Quiescent Female Deutonymphs and to Web2

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Abstract
The behavior of adult male Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acarina: Tetranychidae) was influenced by the presence of quiescent female deutonymphs and by female deutonymph web. Male tracks were recorded by long exposure infrared photography. Initial analysis of tracks was made by computing the angular change per millimeter of travel and the use of the coefficient of a straight line. There was a significant correlation between these techniques. The coefficient was therefore used in most analyses. The presence of quiescent female deutonymphs caused the tracks of males to become more linear with time. Males alone showed general convoluted movements during the test period. Female deutonymph web initiated relatively linear male travel, but there was no trend toward linearity with time. Web and quiescent female deutonymphs combined, induced relatively linear male travel; and the trend toward linearity continued with time. A multicomponent system stimulates male searching behavior for quiescent female deutonymphs.

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