Life table parameters and development of Neoseiulus longispinosus <strong style="font-size: 10px;">(Acari: Phytoseiidae) reared on citrus red mite, Panonychus citri (Acari: Tetranychidae) at different temperatures

Abstract

Development time, survival, reproduction, and sex ratio were determined for the predatory mite Neoseiulus longispinosus (Evans) at six constant temperatures (20, 25, 27.5, 30, 32.5 and 35 oC) reared on citrus red spider mite Panonychus citri (McGregor). No predatory mite reached adulthood at 35oC. All female and male immature stages of N. longispinosus developed significantly faster as the temperature increased from 20to 30 oC, but development slowed down as the temperature exceeded 30 oC. The mean total developmental time of females was longest at 20 °C (9.73 days), followed by 25oC (5.67 days), 27.5oC (4.46 days), and 32.5 oC (4.55 days) and was shortest at 30oC (3.69 days). The oviposition rate and lifetime fecundity were highest at 27.5 oC (2.80 eggs/female/day and 43.76 eggs/female, respectively) and lowest at 20 oC (0.78 eggs/female/day and 21.64 eggs/female, respectively). However, temperature had no influence on the sex ratio of offspring with the proportion of females ranging from 0.62 to 0.65. The intrinsic rate of increase (r) of N. longispinosus averaged 0.323, 0.303, 0.267, 0.189 and 0.107 females female−1 day−1 at 30, 27.5, 32.5, 25, and 20°C, respectively. These values suggested that the most optimal temperatures for the population growth of N. longispinosus were between 27.5 and 30oC.