Neoseiulus bicaudus is a predatory mite species that could potentially be used for the biological control of spider mites and thrips. Floral resources can provide excellent habitats and abundant nutrients for natural enemies. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of eight floral resources on the longevity, fecundity, and predation ability of N. bicaudus. Among the considered plants, Cnidium monnieri led to the highest longevity (24 days) and fecundity (13.8 eggs) of N. bicaudus, while Tagetes erecta resulted in the lowest longevity (7 days) and fecundity (0.1 eggs) observed in the predatory mites. By comparing the effects of three nectar and pollen plants on the predation of predatory mites, it was observed that N. bicaudus still exhibited a type II functional response to Tetranychus turkestani. In the presence of pollen, the predation efficacy (a/T_h) of N. bicaudus exhibited a lower value, compared to that in the absence of pollen (Control: a/T_h = 24.00). When pollen was supplied, the maximum consumption (1/T_h) of predatory mites was higher than in its absence (Control: 1/T_h = 9.90 d⁻¹), with the highest value obtained in the presence of B. officinalis pollen (B. officinalis: 1/T_h = 17.86 d⁻¹). The influence coefficient of predation of N. bicaudus on T. turkestani in the presence of pollen was compared in the presence of three nectar and pollen plants: Cnidium monnieri, Centaurea cyanus, and Borago officinalis. At low prey densities, the influence coefficient of C. cyanus exceeded that of B. officinalis, and the overall influence coefficient values were negative (i.e., the presence of pollen reduced predatory mite feeding on T. turkestani). They exhibited similar values at high prey densities, and all of the influence coefficient values were close to 0 (i.e., the presence of pollen had no effect on predatory mite feeding on T. turkestani). The findings revealed that diverse plant species exert differential impacts on N. bicaudus, with some influencing its lifespan and others affecting its reproductive capabilities. Furthermore, the presence of nectar and pollen plants had a significant impact on predatory mite feeding on T. turkestani at low prey densities; however, this effect diminished as the prey density increased. Therefore, we recommend planting C. monnieri, C. cyanus, and B. officinalis in the field to ensure an ample population of predatory mites. The obtained results hold significant implications for the utilization of nectar and pollen plants in eco-friendly pest management strategies within agricultural contexts.

Plant volatiles play a critical role in mediating insect host location behavior and offer eco-friendly alternatives for chemical control. Monolepta signata is a widespread phytophagous pest in East Asia that poses a significant threat to various crops. In this study, we evaluated the electrophysiological and behavioral responses of adult M. signata to 26 binary and ternary mixtures of 13 plant-derived volatile compounds extracted from cotton and corn leaves. Electroantennogram (EAG) recordings revealed that females exhibited the strongest responses to mixtures 20, 23, and 12, whereas males were the most responsive to mixtures 26, 19, and 4. Y-tube olfactometer assays showed significant behavioral attraction of females to mixtures 1, 20, 23, and 26, and males to mixtures 19, 22, and 23. Field trials demonstrated that mixtures 22, 23, and 26 attracted significantly more adults than the control, with mixture 23 (α-phellandrene + trans-2-hexen-1-ol + 1-heptene) achieving the highest trap capture. These findings highlight the potential of specific volatile blends, especially ternary mixtures, as effective attractants of M. signata, and support their application in environmentally sustainable pest monitoring and management strategies.