Effects of Diet on the Biology and Life Tables of the Predacious Mite Agistemus exsertus (Acari: Stigmaeidae)

Abstract

The biology of Agistemus exsertus Gonzalez was studied using two different insect eggs, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller and Parlatoria zizyphus (Lucas) as the food source. The development was faster and reproduction was higher when A. exsertus fed on eggs of E. kuehniella. A total of 97.78 and 75.27 eggs per female were obtained when eggs of E. kuehniella and P. zizyphus were provided respectively. A diet of E. kuehniella (eggs) provided the greatest female longevity and mean total fecundity which resulted in the higher net reproductive rate (Ro) value (61.25), intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm = 0.196) and finite rate of increase (rm = 1.22) per day for A. exsertus. A diet of P. zizyphus (eggs) resulted in close values of T = 21.70; rm = 0.174; e r m = 1.19. The sex rate of the progeny was strongly female biased (female/total = 0.72 and 0.66) when both eggs of E. kuehniella and P. zizyphus were provided.

Temperature influence on biology, thermal requirement and life table of the predatory mitesAgistemus exsertusGonzalez andPhytoseius plumifer(Can. & Fanz.) reared onTetranychus urticaeKoch

“…These results revealed that increasing temperature shortened the mean generation time. These findings agree with those obtained by El-Laithy (1998), Momen (2001), Ferla and Moraes (2003) who reared A. exsertus and A. floridanus and found that (T) averaged 21. 70 and 19.20, respectively and Osman (2005) showed that (T) values were 42.90, 28.60 and 16.39 days when A. exsertus was fed on eggs of T. urticae at 20, 25 and 308C, respectively.…”

“…Also, El-Laithy (1998) found that e rm of the same predatory mite was 1.24 when it was kept at 278C and fed on eriophyid mites. Also, Momen (2001) found that e rm value of A. exsertus fed on insect eggs and kept at 278C was 1.22. While Ferla and Moraes (2003) showed that the finite rate of increase of A. exsertus fed on the tenuipalpid mite Tenuipalpus heveae Baker was 1.10.…”

“…In Egypt, many researchers (e.g. Zaher et al 1969;Rasmy and El-Banhawy 1974;Osman and Zaki 1986;Zaher 1986;Rasmy et al 1996;Momen 2001;Osman 2005) reported that both predatory mites have a distinct role in biological control of mites pests.…”

Evaluation of different artificial diets for rearing the predatory mite Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae): diet-dependent life table studies

“…Life tables are descriptions of survival potential at different ages or stages, and the life table parameters is a powerful tool for analyzing and understanding the impact of an external factor (such as diet) on the development rate, survival rate, reproduction rate and rate of population increase of an arthropod population (Momen, 2001). The most important advantage of a life table is that it summarizes multiple life history parameters like immature survival, development time, adult fecundity, and longevity by a single value defined as r (Carey, 1993).…”

Biological aspects of the predaceous mite, agistemus vulgaris soliman and gomaa and life table parameters on three host phytophagous mite species, (Acari: stigmaeidae)

“…In Egypt Agistemus exsertus Gonzalez, one of the most common stigmaeid mites, is known as an egg predator of various tetranychoid mites (El-Badry, et al, 1969;El-Bagoury et al, 1989). Research by Momen (2001); Romeih et al (2004); El-Sawi and and Momen and El-Sawi (2006) indicated that various insect eggs of the Pyralidae, Diaspididae, Noctuidae and Gelechiidae families were commensurate prey for the development and oviposition of A. exsertus.Due to their size, slow movement and, therefore, ease of capture, eriophyid mites provide a better source of food for the development of stigmaeid mites than do tetranychid mites (Thistlewood et al, 1996). Agistemus exsertus has been reported as an excellent predator of Aculops lycopersici (Massee), a serious pest throughout the Mediterranean region.…”