Effects of temperature on the development and feeding efficiency of Amblyseius swirskii (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in the biological control of Dactylopius opuntiae (Hemiptera: Dactylopiidae)
摘要
Dactylopius opuntiae (Cockerell) is a major harmful insect of Opuntia spp. This study examines the development, and predation performance of the predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot when preying on D. opuntiae within a temperature range of 25–35 °C. The total pre-adult development time decreased for both sexes as the temperature increased. Females developed more slowly than males at 28 °C and 30 °C but not at 25 or 35 °C. Adult longevity was highest at 28 °C for both sexes, with females (28.3 days at 28 °C) consistently outliving males across all temperatures. The highest proportion of females (0.37) was observed at 28 °C. Survival to adulthood was highest at 28 °C (37% females, 35% males). The highest oviposition period (18.2 days) and fecundity (41.4 eggs/female) were observed at 28 °C. The intrinsic rate of increase (r) and finite rate of increase (λ) peaked at 28 °C (0.142 and 1.152 d-1, respectively) and 30 °C (0.140 and 1.150 d-1, respectively), while the net reproductive rate (R0) peaked at 28 °C (15.33 offspring/female). The predicted fecundity of the next generation was highest at 28 and 30 °C, with the population increasing 11.0 times at 28 °C and 8.3 times at 30 °C. The feeding efficiency of A. swirskii progressively increased across developmental stages. Throughout its life cycle, the total number of eggs (406.80) and nymphs (396.90) consumed by a single predator was highest at 28 °C, while adult females were the least preferred (170.00 at 28 °C). These findings indicate that 28 °C is optimal for A. swirskii development, aiding mass rearing and biological control of D. opuntiae.