Moraes, G.J. de, McMurtry, J.A., 1986.
Suitability of the spider mite Tetranychus evansi as prey for Phytoseiulus persimilis. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 40 (2): 109-115.
Abstract
Experiments to evaluate the suitability of Tetranychus evansi as a source of food for Phytoseiulus persimilis revealed that the primary factor responsible for the low oviposition rate, survivorship of the predator when fed T. evansi was the low amount of food ingested. P. persimilis detected and initiated feeding on T. evansi equally as well as on T. urticae. However, a feeding depressant was apparently responsible for a longer time spent by P. persimilis feeding on eggs of T. evansi than on eggs of T. urticae. Eggs of the former prey were totally consumed only occasionally. The depressant effect influenced subsequent feeding on T. urticae, increasing the time required for consumption and the number of partially consumed eggs for at least 3 days
