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Biology ofEuseius mesembrinus (Acari: Phytoseiidae): Life tables on ice plant pollen at different temperatures with notes on behavior and food range

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Abstract

Euseius mesembrinus (Dean) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) was recently reported on Florida citrus for the first time. This mite was able to develop and reproduce when fed plant pollen of Spanish needle,Bidens pilosa L. and ice plant,Malephora crocea (Jacq.) or three spider mite species (Acari: Tetranychidae) including all stages ofTetranychus urticae Koch,Eutetranychus banksi (McGregor), and larval and nymphal stages only ofPanonychus citri (McGregor).

The biology ofE. mesembrinus was studied under laboratory conditions while being fed pollen ofM. crocea. The developmental time for immature stages at 18, 22, 26, and 30°C was 11.50, 7.47, 4.54, and 4.40 days, respectively. This pattern fits a log-probit model withr 2=0.940. Eggs hatched, but mortality in other stages was high at 34°C. The intrinsic rate of natural increase was 0.146, 0.250, and 0.246 at 22, 26, and 30°C. The optimum temperature for this phytoseiid to develop and increase on ice plant pollen was in the range of 26 to 30°C.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Protection Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Dokki, 12618, Giza, Egypt

    M. M. Abou-Setta

  2. Citrus Research and Education Center, University of Florida, IFAS, 700 Experiment Station Road, 33850, Lake Alfred, FL, USA

    C. C. Childers

Authors
  1. M. M. Abou-Setta
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  2. C. C. Childers
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Florida Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Series No. 7429.

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Abou-Setta, M.M., Childers, C.C. Biology ofEuseius mesembrinus (Acari: Phytoseiidae): Life tables on ice plant pollen at different temperatures with notes on behavior and food range. Exp Appl Acarol 3, 123–130 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01270474

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01270474

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