Some biological parameters of predatory mite Cheletomimus bakeri (Acari: Cheyletidae)

Development, fecundity and prey consumption of Cheletomimus bakeri (Acari: Cheyletidae) feeding on Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Acari: Tetranychidae) were studied at different temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30, 35 oC), in the laboratory at 65 ± 10 % RH and 16 L: 8D. The development periods of egg, immature stages and adults of C. bakeri decreased significantly with increasing temperatures. Egg and total development periods of C.bakeri at 20, 25, 30 ve 35 oC were obtained 13.86, 7.98, 5.07, 4.08 days and 58.66, 41.51, 21.21, 22.92 days, respectively. The mean total and daily fecundity were highest at 20 oC and 30 oC, respectively, and they were statistically different from that obtained at 20, 25 and 30 oC. The net reproductive rate (R0= 10.51 ?/?) was highest at 20 oC. The longest mean generation time (T0 = 86.73 days) occurred at 20 oC and the shortest (28.22 days) at 30 oC. While the highest intrinsic rate of increase (rm = 0.0570 ?/?/day) for C.bakeri was found at 30 oC, the lowest (0.0271?/?/day) was obtained at 20 oC. C.bakeri showed an increasing consumption by increasing prey densities and, the number of T. cinnabarinus males consumed by C.bakeri significantly changed depending on prey densities. The highest number of adult males consumed by C.bakeri per day was 4.63, 4.70 and 4.60 if confined to 40, 80 and 160 individuals, respectively. Key words: Development, fecundity, life history, longevity, Cheyletidae, predation, Tetranychus cinnabarinus