Development, Fecundity, and Prey Consumption of Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) Fed Tetranychus cinnabarinus Boisduval

The development, fecundity, and prey consumption of the Ayd‎n Neoseiulus californicus population (McGregor) feeding on Tetranychus cinnabarinus Boisduval were studied in the laboratory at different temperatures, 65 ± 10% RH, and a 16 h L:8 h D cycle. The total development period (egg to adult) decreased linearly with increasing temperature (0.012 × T – 0.093; R2 = 0.950). The total development threshold obtained from regression analysis was estimated to be 7.8 °C. Neoseiulus californicus required, on average, 83.3 DD to complete its development from egg to adult. Mean total and daily fecundity were highest at 25 °C, and were statistically different from those obtained at 20 and 30 °C. The net reproductive rate (R0) was highest at 25 °C (42.92 femal/femal). The longest mean generation period (T0) occurred at 20 °C (12.96 days) and the shortest occurred at 30 °C (10.12 days). The highest intrinsic rate of increase (rm) for N. californicus was observed at 25 °C (0.3373 femal/femalday) and the lowest was at 20 °C (0.2467 femal/femalday). The numbers of T. cinnabarinus eggs, larvae, nymphs, and adult males eaten by N. californicus were significantly different between prey densities. Regardless of prey density, N. californicus consumed more eggs and larvae than nymphs and adult males. The functional response data of N. californicus fit reasonably well to a type-II functional response of the Holling model. The number of eggs laid by female N. californicus was the highest when T. cinnabarinus eggs were offered as prey.