Effects of Temperature on Development and Voltinism of <i>Chaetodactylus krombeini</i> (Acari: Chaetodactylidae): Implications for Climate Change Impacts

<div><p>Temperature plays an important role in the growth and development of arthropods, and thus the current trend of climate change will alter their biology and species distribution. We used <i>Chaetodactylus krombeini</i> (Acari: Chaetodactylidae), a cleptoparasitic mite associated with <i>Osmia</i> bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), as a model organism to investigate how temperature affects the development and voltinism of <i>C</i>. <i>krombeini</i> in the eastern United States. The effects of temperature on the stage-specific development of <i>C</i>. <i>krombeini</i> were determined at seven constant temperatures (16.1, 20.2, 24.1, 27.5, 30.0, 32.4 and 37.8°C). Parameters for stage-specific development, such as threshold temperatures and thermal constant, were determined by using empirical models. Results of this study showed that <i>C</i>. <i>krombeini</i> eggs developed successfully to adult at all temperatures tested except 37.8°C. The nonlinear and linear empirical models were applied to describe quantitatively the relationship between temperature and development of each <i>C</i>. <i>krombeini</i> stage. The nonlinear Lactin model estimated optimal temperatures as 31.4, 32.9, 32.6 and 32.5°C for egg, larva, nymph, and egg to adult, respectively. In the linear model, the lower threshold temperatures were estimated to be 9.9, 14.7, 13.0 and 12.4°C for egg, larva, nymph, and egg to adult, respectively. The thermal constant for each stage completion were 61.5, 28.1, 64.8 and 171.1 degree days for egg, larva, nymph, and egg to adult, respectively. Under the future climate scenarios, the number of generations (i.e., voltinism) would increase more likely by 1.5 to 2.0 times by the year of 2100 according to simulation. The findings herein firstly provided comprehensive data on thermal development of <i>C</i>. <i>krombeini</i> and implications for the management of <i>C</i>. <i>krombeini</i> populations under global warming were discussed.</p><p>*Scientific Article No. 3278 of the West Virginia Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, Morgantown, West Virginia</p>