Temperature - dependent life table of the predatory mite, Amblyseius swirskii (Mesostigmata: Phytoseidae) fed on stored product mite Carpoglyphus lactis (Astigmata: Carpoglyphidae)

The predatory mite, Amblyseius swirskii (Athias-Henriot) is an efficient predator of some insect pests particularly thrips and whiteflies. To evaluate the optimum temperature for A.swirskii, a life table study, based on the age-stage, two-sex life table theory, was conducted using the stored product mite, Carpoglyphus lactis L. as the food diet. Experiments were performed at temperatures of 22, 25, 30 and 32° C, %70 ± 5 relative humidity and 16: 8 (L: D) photoperiod. Developmental time of eggs at 30° C was significantly shorter comparing to the temperatures 22 and 32° C. Developmental time of the mobile pre-adult stages, male and female, were significantly shorter at 32° C, comparing to 25° C. The highest fecundity of the predator was observed at 25° C (72.34 eggs / female). The intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of population increase (λ), net reproductive rate (R0), at temperature of 22° C were 0/226 day-1, 1/25 day-1, 25/53 offspring/individual; at 25° C were 0/304 day-1, 1.35 day-1, 33/82 offspring/ individual; at 30° C were 0/097 day-1, 1/102 day-1, 2/42 offspring/ individual; at a temperature of 32° C were 0/128 day-1, 1/137 day-1, 2/67 offspring/ individual. The population parameters of A. swirskii, except mean generation times (T), at 25° C and 32° C were significantly higher than those at 30° C, and the average generation time (T), at temperature of 22° C, was found to be the highest. The total population projection demonstrated that the highest population growth of predatory mite, A. swirskii occurred at 25° C.