Development, long-term survival, and the maintenance of fertility in Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae) reared on an artificial diet

Abstract

The effectiveness of non-prey food items, such as pollen, honeydew, and microbes, in maintaining phytoseiid mite populations is widely accepted. However, the availability of such naturally occurring non-prey foods varies with the season and surrounding environment; thus, it is difficult to manipulate and maintain supplies of these food sources. A great deal of research has examined the development and reproduction of phytoseiid mites on artificial diets. Although phytoseiid mites frequently develop, several studies have detected low fecundities of adult females reared on artificial diets. Therefore, the use of artificial diets for commercial propagation is often difficult. However, the potential of artificial diets to maintain phytoseiid mite populations has not yet been evaluated. In this study, we investigated the developmental success and survival of Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) on an artificial diet. This mite may be one of the most effective phytoseiid species used in agricultural systems for the control of spider mites. N. californicus successfully developed on the artificial diets: 93.5-100% of individuals reached adulthood 4-7 days after hatching. The survival rates of gravid adult females maintained on the AD-1 artificial diet composed of yeast components, saccharides, and egg yolk at 25 degrees C were 100, 80, and 48.9% over 36, 60, and 90 days, respectively. Moreover, >80% of the surviving females maintained on AD-1 for 36 or 60 days laid eggs after being switched to a diet of the spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch, although they had laid few eggs during the maintenance periods on the artificial diet. Our results indicate that artificial diets can serve as a potentially useful food source for the long-term maintenance of N. californicus populations.

Development and reproduction of the predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii on artificial diets

“…The artificial diet was composed of honey (Meli N.V., Veurne, Belgium), sucrose (MP Biomedicals LLC, Illkirch, France), tryptone (Fluka Analytical, SigmaAldrich Co., St. Louis, USA), yeast extract (Duchefa, Haarlem, The Netherlands), fresh hen's egg yolk, and distilled water, and was prepared according to Ogawa and Osakabe (2008), with some modifications as explained below. Two diets were prepared.…”

“…To examine the development and reproduction of individual A. swirskii, modified Munger cells were used as rearing microcosms (Ogawa and Osakabe 2008). Each cell consisted of a transparent acrylic board (top board; 40 9 40 mm, 2 mm thick) with a 19 mm diameter hole in the center, a black acrylic board (middle board; 40 9 40 mm, 5 mm thick) with a 18 mm diameter hole in the center, and another black acrylic board (bottom board; 40 9 40 mm, 2 mm thick) with a 1 mm diameter hole in the center.…”

“…However, females fed on the best performing artificial diet had lower oviposition rates than those on natural diet. Ogawa and Osakabe (2008) reported that an artificial diet composed of yeast components, saccharides, and egg yolk supported development and survival of Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor), but again fecundity on the artificial diet was low.…”

“…Conceivably, insect materials like hemolymph could also be useful to supply nutritional factors for growth and reproduction of predatory mites such as A. swirskii. In the present study, we determined the life table parameters of A. swirskii when fed on cattail pollen (Typha latifolia L.), dried fruit mite (C. lactis), or a meridic artificial diet modified from Ogawa and Osakabe (2008), and a similar diet supplemented with insect hemolymph.…”

Effects of sucrose on survival and oviposition of the predacious insects Stethorus japonicus (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Oligota kashmirica benefica (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), and Scolothrips takahashii (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

“…These results suggest that the effect of sucrose on the survival of S. takahashii may be greater than on S. japonicus and O. kashmirica benefica; however, it is not clear that females fed sucrose died due to their physiological longevity even in S. takahashii. Ogawa and Osakabe (2008) suggested that adult female Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) reared on artificial diets laid few eggs, but could survive longer than ovipositing females reared on T. urticae. In this study, females fed sucrose did not oviposit in all three species.…”