Significance and feeding of psocids (Liposcelididae, Psocoptera) with microorganisms

Abstract

After our investigations of psocids in the grain storages in Croatia, the most abundant were represenatives of genus Liposcelis, as following: Liposcelis decolor (Pearman), L. corrodens (Heymons), L. entomophila (Enderlein), L. pearmani Lienhard, L. bostrichophila Badonnel, L. paeta Pearman. L. mendax Pearman, L. brunnea Motschulsky, L. pubescens Broadhead, L. tricolor Badonnel. Feeding and food utilisation of L. corrodens and L. bostrichophila with pure culture of microoganisms (fungi – Mucor spp., Apergillus niger Tiegh., A. flavus Link ex Gray, Penicillium spp., Cladosporium spp., Fusarium spp. and bacteria – Esherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, as well cellulolitic microorganisms of genera Cytophaga, Cellvibrio) were investigated. Also feeding with microorganisms causing plant diseases in the herbarium plant material (Uromyces pisi (Pers.) de Bary, Helminthosporium turcicum Pass., Ustilago maydis (DC) Corda, U. levis (Kell.et Sw.) Magn., U. nuda (Jens.) Kell. et Sw., Tilletia tritici (Bjerk.) Winter, Pseudoperonospora humuli (Miyabe et Takah.) G. Wilson, Peronospora schleideni Ung., Cercospora beticola Sacc.), was studied. Transporting of harmful microorganisms of stored wheat by bodies, hairs and in the faecal matter of Liposcelididae was investigated too.