BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS AND FEEDING-BEHAVIOR OF THE PREDACIOUS SOIL MITE NENTERIA-HYPOTRICHUS (UROPODINA, UROPODIDAE)

The uropodid mite Nenteria hypotrichus was common in plots of a citrus orchard receiving farmyard manure. Larvae survived on a wide range of diets, such as fungus, organic manure, collembola, acarid mites and n ematodes, but individuals successfully developed to adult stage only o n acarid mites and nematodes. None of these exclusive diets was suffic ient to induce female reproduction. On a combination of 1 part organic matter:100 acarids:1000 nematodes, females lived longer and reproduce d, indicating the necessity of a multi-food diet for a normal life-cyc le and reproduction.