Effect of temperature on life history of the predatory mite Amblyseius (Neoseiulus) californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Amblyseius (Neoseiulus) californicus is an indigenous mite in Japan that feeds on many spider mite species. We evaluated the development, survivorship and life-history parameters of A. californicus on a diet of eggs of Tetranychus urticae (red form). More than 97.3% of A. californicus eggs hatched and more than 81.6% of newly hatched larvae attained maturity at temperatures between 15 and 35 degrees C. Females oviposited at 37.5 degrees C, but no eggs hatched. At 40 degrees C, no females laid eggs. The lower threshold temperature from egg to oviposition was 10.3 degrees C and the thermal constant was 86.2 degree-days. Based on these data, the maximum number of generations that could complete development in a year under field conditions in Ibaraki, central Japan, would be between 21 and 28. At 25 degrees C, females laid a mean of 41.6 eggs during a mean oviposition period of 19.4 days. The intrinsic rates of natural increase (rm) were 0.173 at 20 degrees C, 0.274 at 25 degrees C and 0.340 at 30 degrees C.