Life tables of the predatory mite Typhlodromus negevi feeding on prey insect species and pollen diet (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

The developmental time, survival, fecundity and life table parameters of the predacious mite, Typhlodromus negevi Swirski and Amitai were determined on four different food types, eggs of Bemisia tabaci Gennadius, Insulaspis pallidula (Green) and Phoenicoccus marlatti Cockerell as well as castor bean pollen Ricinus communis L. at 28±1 °C, 75±5% RH under laboratory conditions. Total developmental time of T. negevi females was 6.0, 7.7, 7.8 and 6.3 days on B. tabaci, I. pallidula, P. marlatti eggs and pollen grains, respectively. The total egg production rates were the highest on pollen and eggs of B. tabaci (32.9 and 21.2 eggs, respectively). A diet of pollen grains showed a higher values of the net reproductive rate (RO =29.04), intrinsic rate of increase (rm =0.271) and finite rate of increase (λ=1.3124) per day than eggs of B. tabaci, I. pallidula and P. marlatti . A diet of P. marlatti eggs resulted the lowest total fecundity which resulted in the lowest the net reproductive rate (RO =3.609), intrinsic rate of increase (rm =0.094) and finite rate of increase (λ=1.098) per day for T. negevi . The sex ratio of the progeny was strongly female biased (female/total=0.88, 0.85 and 0.80) when pollen grains, eggs of B. tabaci and I. pallidula were provided for T. negevi