EFFECTS OF VARIOUS POLLENS ON DEVELOPMENT, SURVIVORSHIP, AND REPRODUCTION OF EUSEIUS-TULARENSIS (ACARI, PHYTOSEIIDAE)

Effects of 17 different plant pollens on the development, survivorship, and reproduction of the predacious mite Euseius tularensis (Congdon) were studied in the laboratory. Mites fed cattail, Typha latifolia L.; ice plant, Malephora crocea (Jacquin); and five different types of commercially available tree pollens (apple, Malus sylvestris Miller; pear, Pyrus communis L.; almond, Prunus dulcis [Miller] D. Webb; olive, Olea europaea L.; and peach, Prunus persica [L.] Batsch) exhibited similar percentage survival of immatures in generation 1 (62.50-87.5%) and similar sex ratios of their progeny (59.48-76.22% female). The developmental times of the first generation from the egg to adult stage ranged from 6.21 to 6.66 d and the percentage survival of immatures of generation 2 ranged from 66.20 to 88.32%. Reproduction (total eggs per female) was greatest for E. tularensis fed apple pollen. Based on life-table analyses of these pollens, apple pollen was found to be the best diet for this predacious mite. Mites fed grass pollens (cultivated and wild annual ryegrass, Lolium multiflorum Lamarck; soft chess, Bromus mollis L. var 'Blando'; California brome, Bromus carinatus Hook and Arnott; oat, Avena Sativa L. var. 'California red'; barley, Hordeum vulgare L. var 'UC476'; rye, Secale cereale L. var 'Merced'; meadow barley, Hordeum brachyantherum Nevskii; and red fescue, Festuca rubra L. var 'Molate') showed 63-97% survival of immatures in generation 1, but survivorship decreased to 44% or less in their progeny. Thus, these grasses did not individually support long-term survival of E. tularensis. The first generation survival (21%) and reproduction (0.5 eggs per female) of the predatory mites fed wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) pollen was significantly lower than all other treatments. This study provided fundamental information for mass rearing of E. tularensis and to enhance the orchard performance of E. tularensis as a predator of citrus pests.