Abstract
ABSTRACTGaeolaelaps aculeifer (Canestrini, 1883) is a soil-dwelling predatory mite with potential for use as a biological control agent of fungus gnats (Diptera: Sciaridae) in mushroom production. The life table, predation rate and population growth rate of G. aculeifer on a diet of larvae of the sciarid fly, Lycoriella auripila, at 23 ± 1°C, 60 ± 5% RH and a photoperiod of 0:24 (L:D) h was investigated. The results revealed that the duration of egg, larva, protonymph, deutonymph, females and males of G. aculeifer were 3.8 ± 0.1, 1.4 ± 0.1, 3.9 ± 0.1, 4.1 ± 0.1, 67.7 ± 2.8 and 60.3 ± 3.1 days, respectively. Net reproductive rate (R0) was 54.8 ± 7.1 offspring, intrinsic rate of increase (r) was 0.12 ± 0.01 offspring day−1, finite rate of increase (λ) was 1.13 ± 0.01 day−1and mean generation time (T) was 32.3 ± 0.6 days. The predator consumed a mean of 0.08 ± 0.05, 1.73 ± 0.18, 3.16 ± 0.28 and 75.9 ± 7.1 third instar L. auripila larvae during the larval (1.3 ± 0.1 days), protonymph (3.9 ± 0.1 days), deutonymph (4.1 ± 0.1 days) and adult (52.6 ± 2.2 days) stages. Population parameters and consumption rates suggest that G. aculeifer has good potential as a biological control agent of L. auripila in mushroom production.
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