Roy L. auteur aut IRD El Adouzi M. auteur aut IRD Moraza M. L. auteur aut IRD Chiron G. auteur aut IRD de Janti E. V. auteur aut IRD Le Peutrec G. auteur aut IRD Bonato Olivier auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf born digital access The poultry red mite (PRM), Dermanyssus gallinae (de Geer), is a hematophagous mite of economic importance in the poultry industry. Because PRM lives off-host in habitats potentially shared by many micropredators, bio-control agents have potential to regulate this pest in poultry buildings. The present pilot study was conducted to obtain a first insight into predatory and parasitic arthropod communities that naturally occur on layer farms in France. Species composition and sensitivity to insecticides were determined to estimate the feasibility of conservation biological control (CBC) of PRM based on a 2-scale concept (regional and local effects). A morpho-molecular approach was used to characterize the taxonomic composition of manure-dwelling arthropod communities, with a focus on mesostigmatid mites, that naturally occur in free-range layer farms. Additionally, the sensitivity of some dominant mite species to a common insecticide (deltamethrin) was measured via bioassays. The putative roles of recorded taxa within ecological guilds and their dispersal habits are discussed based on the results of multivariate and univariate analyses. Local and regional factors had significant effects on both highlevel taxonomic arthropod groups and mesostigmatid morphospecies. In addition to documenting the occurrence and apparent establishment of highly mobile arthropods in hen houses, these results are considered promising for the development of CBC against PRM. Populations of two recurrent mesostigmatid morphospecies demonstrated an extreme sensitivity to the pyrethroid, suggesting that even very low levels of insecticide use are likely to have unnoticed deleterious effects on natural regulation processes in layer buildings. Lastly, a robust method for exploring mesostigmatid mite communities in manure is provided. specialized Conservation biological control Community ecology Poultry farming Pyrethroid Arthropoda Mesostigmata FRANCE 080 052 114 176-194 2017 1049-9644 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010071042 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2017.08.006 1049-9644 [F B010071042] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010071042 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/intranet/publi/2017/10/010071042.pdf Accès réservé (Intranet de l'IRD) IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2017-10-31 2023-07-11 fdi:010071042 fre