The predatory mite Hypoaspis miles: temperature dependent life table characteristics on a diet of sciarid larvae, Bradysia paupera and B. tritici

Life table characteristics of Hypoaspis miles Berlese (Acarina: Hypoaspidae) fed on a mixture of Bradysia paupera Tuomikoski (Diptera: Sciaridae) and B. tritici Coquillet larvae were investigated in laboratory experiments at 4 temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30 °C) for development time, juvenile mortality, sex ratio, preoviposition period, oviposition period, postoviposition period, age-specific fecundity, and adult longevity. Juvenile development time decreased with increasing temperature from 46 days at 15 °C to 10 days at 30 °C. The lower temperature threshold was 9.9 °C and development required 205 °D. Juvenile mortality decreased from 52% at 15 °C to 3% at 25 °C and then increased to 24% at 30 °C. Preoviposition period varied with temperature from 12 days at 15 °C to 3 days at 25 °C and then increased to about 4 days at 30 °C. Oviposition period decreased with increasing temperature from 58 days at 15 °C to 25 days at 30 °C. The mean number of eggs per female per day increased from 0.4 at 15 °C to 2.3 at 25 °C and decreased to 1.3 at 30 °C. Age-specific fecundity was described by a temperature dependent model from which the maximum daily fecundity rate could be estimated to be attained at 25.6 °C. Female longevity was significantly shorter than for males, and decreased from 90 days at 15 °C to 34 days at 30 °C. Sex ratio was female-biased at all 4 temperatures and increased with temperature up to 25 °C, decreasing at 30 °C. Estimates of net reproductive rate, intrinsic rate of increase, finite rate of increase, mean generation time and doubling time were obtained. The r _m -value increased with temperature from 0.031 day^-1 at 15 °C to 0.133 day^-1 at 25 °C, after which it decreased to 0.112 day^-1 at 30 °C. The study showed that H. miles can develop and reproduce at temperatures between 15 and 30 °C. H. miles and sciarids have approximately the same optimum temperature and thresholds for development and reproduction and H. miles can be used for biological control of sciarids within the temperature range where the pest occurs.