Effects of temperature on immature development of Transeius montdorensis (Schicha) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) fed on Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (Hemiptera, Aleyrodidae) biotype Q

Abstract

The Australian predatory mite, Transeius montdorensis, is an important natural enemy of Bemisia tabaci, thrips, spider mites, and many other pests, and thus might be important for their biological control. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether temperature influences the development of T. montdorensis when preying on B. tabaci. The survival rate and development time of T. montdorensis under different temperature conditions were compared when fed with 1 st to 3 rd instar nymphs of B. tabaci as its prey. We analyzed the association between temperature and the growth rate of T. montdorensis. The results show that the developmental period of T. montdorensis was significantly affected by temperature. The development period of T. montdorensis was the longest (23.23 days) at 15 ℃ and the shortest (4.62 days) at 35 ℃. From 15–35 ℃, the developmental period of T. montdorensis correlated negatively with temperature. In addition, increasing temperature (15–30 ℃) promoted T. montdorensis survival. The survival rate was 64% at 15 ℃ and was highest (92%) at 30 ℃; however, survival was reduced as the temperature increased from 30 to 35 ℃; with only 66% survival at 35 ℃. The logistic equation is better at correlating temperature and development than the linear one. The different developmental stages of T. Montdorensis varied in the temperature thresholds of development and effective thermal summation. The temperature threshold of development was 10.45 ℃ at the immature stage, which had an effective thermal summation of 99.87 d ·℃.