A Technique for Individual Rearing of the Predacious Mite Melichares dentriticus (Berlese) (Acarina: Aceosejidae) with Notes on its Life History and Behaviour

Abstract

The predacious mite, Melichares dentriticus (Berlese), has been mass-cultured (Burnett, 1960) for the past few years at this laboratory on populations of Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) (= castellanii (Hirst)) (Acarina: Acaridae) (Robertson, 1959). Individual rearings, however, were required to obtain detailed information on the life history, behaviour, and ecological requirements, prior to the use of this species as an experimental animal in the study of predatorprey interactions. This paper is an account of the various techniques tested and of the observations made throughout these studies.