Life table parameters of Predatory mite Neoseiulus californicus with alternative prey Oulenziella bakeri Hughes (Acari: Winterschmidtiidae) at different constant temperatures

Oulenziella bakeri is a promising alternative prey for mass rearing of Neoseiulus californicus, an excellent biological control agent against phytophagous mites. However, little is known regarding the effects of different temperatures on the population growth of N. californicus when fed on O. bakeri. In the present study, the development, survivorship and life-history parameters of N. californicus with O. bakeri as prey were observed under laboratory conditions at 16℃, 20℃, 24℃, 28℃ and 32℃. The results showed that N. californicus completed immature development with 100% survival at all tested temperatures. The total duration from egg to adult emergence of N. californicus significantly decreased as temperature increased from 16℃ (17.85 d) to 24℃ (6.00 d), and then slightly decreased further as temperature increased from 28℃ (4.70 d) to 32℃ (3.93 d). The highest fecundity of N. californicus was 49.13 eggs per female at 24℃, with the second-longest longevity of 46.27 d. The second highest fecundity was 43.13 eggs per female at 28℃, with the shortest longevity of 30.33 d. Life table analysis indicated that the net reproductive rate (R₀) of N. californicus was highest at 24℃, with a value of 36.27, and second-highest at 28°C, with a value of 31.53. Meanwhile, the intrinsic rate of increase (rm) of N. californicus peaked at 28℃, with a value of 0.281. At 24℃, the rm-value was 0.182, ranking as the third highest among the tested temperatures. Our findings suggest that, when fed on O. bakeri, 28℃ is the most suitable temperature for rearing N. californicus among those tested.