Abstract

PEREZ MADRUGA, Yanebis; ALONSO-RODRIGUEZ, D; CHICO, R  and  RODRIGUEZ, H. Biology and feeding behavior of Neoseiulus longispinosus (Evans) on Tetranychus tumidus Banks. Rev. Protección Veg. [online]. 2012, vol.27, n.3, pp. 174-180. ISSN 1010-2752.

Development duration, mortality, sex ratio, reproduction, survival and feeding behavior of Neoseiulus longispinosus (Evans) feeding on Tetranychus tumidus Banks were determined. The studies were conducted under laboratory conditions at 24,34±2,90°C temperature and 73,54±11,04% relative humidity. The average duration of development was observed to be approximately seven days. The egg stage was the longest, whereas the larval stage was the shortest. The pre-oviposition period lasted a mean of 2,3 days while the oviposition period can last up to 22 days with an average of 11,5 days and female longevity up to 28 days. The average fertility was 21,70±9,11 eggs. The sex ratio was 0,70 in favor of females. No mortality was found in immature stages. The number of eggs per female/day increased from the second to the eighth day of oviposition. N. longispinosus preferentially consumed eggs, whereas it reached the highest rate of success on the larval and immature stages. The predator spent more than 50% of its time on the active components of consuming and searching. The results suggest that this phytoseiid mite is a potential bioregulator of T. tumidus in our conditions.

Keywords : Neoseiulus longispinosus; Tetranychus tumidus; duration of development; feeding behavior; predatory mites; Phytoseiidae.

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