The development rate of the predatory thrips, Scolothrips longicornis Priesner, fed on Tetranychus urticae Koch was determined at 15, 20, 26, 30, 35, and 37°C. No development occurred at 40°C. The total development time from egg to adult emergence for females was estimated to be 48.1, 22.8, 13.6, 10.6, 8.3 and 9.6 days, respectively. The development time decreased with increasing temperature from 15 to 35°C. In the temperature range of 15-37°C, egg and larval mortality varied between 10% and 48% and 1.92% and 11.1%, respectively. The sex-ratio of S. longicornis was in favor of females at all tested temperatures and remained uninfluenced by temperature in the range of 15-35°C with an average of about 75% females. The lower temperature threshold for the entire development period and the thermal constant for female S. longicornis using the common linear model were estimated to be 11.1°C and 200 degree-days (DD), and 10.8°C and 204 DD using the Ikemoto and Takai model. Data were fitted to four nonlinear development rate models and the thermal thresholds (T min and T max ) and optimal temperature (T opt ) estimated. The Briere-1, Briere-2, and Ikemoto and Takai linear models provided adequate descriptions of temperature-dependent development of S. longicornis. The upper temperature threshold was estimated to be about 42°C. Temperaturedependent development data, thermal requirements and temperature thresholds can be used to predict the occurrence, number of generations and population dynamics of S. longicornis, an important biocontrol agent of T. urticae.

Environmental variables such as temperature are important factors that affect the efficiency of biological control agents. This study examined the effect of temperature on the sex ratio, longevity, oviposition periods, fecundity and life table parameters of the predatory thrips Scolothrips longicornis Priesner (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) fed on twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), at six constant temperatures: 15, 20, 26, 30, 35, and 37 degrees C. Approximately 75% of the progeny were female, except at 37 degrees C, at which temperature the proportion of males increased. Adult longevity as well as the preoviposition, oviposition, and postoviposition periods decreased significantly with temperature. Thus, adults lived for approximately 5 wk at 15 degrees C and < 1 wk at 37 degrees C with preoviposition, oviposition, and postoviposition periods ranging from 6.4 to 0.4, 24.4-3.1, and 7-0.8 d between the two temperature extremes, respectively. The maximum (56.48 eggs) and minimum (11.69 eggs) value of total fecundity was recorded at 26 and 37 degrees C, respectively. The intrinsic rate of natural increase (r(m)) of S. longicornis increased linearly with increasing temperature from 0.056 d(-1) at 15 degrees C to 0.310 d(-1) at 35 degrees C. The lower temperature threshold for the population increase of S. longicornis was estimated to be around 5 degrees C. The data suggest that the upper temperature threshold for the predatory thrips is approximately 37 degrees C. The results showed that populations of S. longicornis are able to develop at a broad range of temperatures and that this predator is well adapted to the high temperatures that occur in the Mediterranean region.

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Environmental variables such as temperature are important factors affecting the efficacy of biological control agents. This study evaluated the predation rate of the predatory thrips Scolothrips longicornis Priesner (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) against the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) under laboratory conditions. Based on daily and total prey consumption of different life stages of S. longicornis on spider mite eggs at temperatures covering the range suitable for development and survival of the predator (15° C to 37° C, 60 ± 10% RH, 16:8 L:D), there was a significant effect of temperature on prey consumption. The number of prey consumed daily by first and second instar larvae increased linearly with increasing temperature from 15 °C to 37 °C, whereas daily consumption of preovipositing and postovipositing females was uninfluenced by temperature. Lower temperature thresholds for consumption by first and second instar larvae of S. longicornis was estimated to be 6.8 ± 0.04° C and 4.6 ± 0.03° C, respectively. The daily consumption of ovipositing females followed a nonlinear pattern, with maximum daily predation estimated at 32.8° C. From the model used to describe consumption of ovipositing females, an upper threshold for consumption of 41.4° C was estimated. The performance of S. longicornis at the different temperatures is discussed in relation to its practical use in integrated pest control programs.

The effect of five photoperiods (0:24, 6:18; 12:12, 18:6, and 24:0 light:dark (L:D)) on the development, reproduction, and survival of the predatory thrips Scolothrips longicornis Priesner fed on the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, was tested under laboratory conditions at 60% RH and 25°C. Development time of almost all immature stages in S. longicornis was the shortest under long day lengths (18:6 and 24:0 L:D). The adult duration of both sexes decreased with increasing light length from 6 to 24 h. The longevity of male and female decreased with increasing light length. Under a 12:12 L:D photoperiod, S. longicornis females had the longest oviposition period and longevity, highest net reproductive rate (R0 = 15.37), intrinsic rate of natural increase (r = 0.141), and finite rate of increase (λ = 1.151). Life table parameters showed a significant difference with various photoperiods. The consequences of the present research demonstrated that a 12:12 L:D photoperiod is the most favorable for the reproduction and development of S. longicornis fed on T. urticae, and that for mas rearing for augmentative biological control programs, would be the ideal photoperiod to maximize production.