Moraes, G.J. de, McMurtry, J.A., 1985.
Comparison of Tetranychus evansi and T. urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) as prey for eight species of phytoseiid mites. Entomophaga, 30: 393-397.
Abstract
The potential of 8 species of phytoseiid mites as predators of Tetranychus evansi (a pest of tomatoes, aubergines, tobacco) and T. urticae was evaluated in the laboratory. Oviposition rates and survivorship of all phytoseiids were always much lower on eggs, larvae and adults of T. evansi than on those of T. urticae. Adult females of Amblyseius californicus and a strain of Phytoseiulus persimilis from California had the highest oviposition rates when given T. evansi as prey (0.5 and 0.7 eggs/female per day, respectively). The percentage survival after 8 days was 66.7 for females of A. californicus and 53.3 for a strain of P. persimilis from Morocco. With T. urticae as prey, oviposition rates were highest in females of a strain of P. persimilis from California (4.3 eggs/female per day) and in females of P. longipes and P. macropilis (2.7 eggs/day). Survivorship was greatest in strains of P. persimilis (100% after 8 days) reared on this prey. The oviposition rates and survivorship of females of Phytoseius hawaiiensis, Typhlodromus occidentalis, T. annectens and T. porresi were lower on both prey species than in the other phytoseiid species tested
