The Biology of Amblyseius fallcis (Acarina: Phytoseiidae) at Various Temperature and Photoperiod Regimes

Abstract

Amblyseius fallacis (Garman) was collected in the field from strawberry at Baton Rouge, La., and studied in the laboratory as a predator of Tetranychus spp. Its life cycle required 7.3 days at 21 °C and 3.3 days at 32°C. Virgin females did not oviposit, but the sex ratio of 2 females to 1 male resulted in fertilization of all females under laboratory conditions. Preoviposition periods of 53 and 18 hours were observed in mites held at 21 and 32°C, respectively. The optimum temperature for A. fallacis was 26.7°C. Photoperiod affected oviposition; more eggs were produced at a photoperiod of 10 hours than at 0,14, or 24 hours. Mites starved when held on bean leaves without the prey species, and no evidence of phytophagous activity or cannibalism was observed.