Lk. Tanigoshi et al., NON-PREY FOOD FOR SUBSISTENCE OF AMBLYSEIUS-IDAEUS (ACARI, PHYTOSEIIDAE) ON CASSAVA IN AFRICA, Experimental & applied acarology, 17(1-2), 1993, pp. 91-96
The nutritional effects of pollen from cassava, oil palm, castor bean,
Leucaena leucocephala and a phloem exudate from cassava were tested i
n the laboratory for their effect on survivorship and oviposition of A
mblyseius idaeus (Denmark & Muma). Survival and longevity of even-aged
females were enhanced on the aforementioned non-prey diets when compa
red with the control of no food. Castor bean pollen provided sufficien
t nutrition to induce an irregular and low ovipositional rate of A. id
aeus over a five week interval. Oviposition ceased after 48 h in the p
resence of the other non-prey foods or free-water only. These studies
suggest that A. idaeus is capable of switching or supplementing its di
et with non-prey foods during periods when spider mite populations are
low.