The Effects of Alternative Foods on Life History and Cannibalism of (Acari: Phytoseiidae).

The development, survivorship, fecundity, and cannibalism of the predatory phytoseiid mite, (Chant), fed six different alternative foods (, , , almond pollen (), apple pollen (), maize pollen ()), and natural prey () were determined in the laboratory. Our findings indicated that that fed on all six alternative foods could normally complete its developmental and reproductive cycles. The shortest pre-adult developmental duration was observed when fed on almond pollen (4.91 d) as well as (4.90 d), and the longest when it fed on maize pollen (6.24 d). Pre-adult survival rates were higher when the predator fed on almond pollen (0.99), maize pollen (0.96), and (0.93). The highest fecundity was observed when fed on apple pollen (28.55 eggs/female), almond pollen (26.06 eggs/female), and (26.02 eggs/female) in addition to (48.95 eggs/female), and the lowest when it fed on maize pollen (7.84 eggs/female). The highest value of the intrinsic rate of increase () was obtained when fed on (0.202 d) in addition to (0.210 d), followed by almond pollen (0.163 d), and the lowest was when it fed on maize pollen (0.064 d). Cannibalism of conspecific eggs by adults of did not occur when and were provided. The cannibalism rate of the predatory mite was the lowest when fed on almond pollen, and and the highest on apple pollen. Above all, when fed on and almond pollen, and with no or low cannibalism rate, had the best development, survivorship, fecundity, and population parameters. Therefore, and almond pollen could be potential alternative foods for mass rearing programs of or to support its population in the fields.