Insectary Production of Phytoseiid Mites1

Abstract

Two basic methods have proven satisfactory for rearing many different species of phytoseiid mites. Species which reproduce readily on pollen are reared on Mesembryanthemum pollen without host mites. Those which require mite prey for extensive reproduction are cultured on the Pacific Spider Mite, Tetranychus pacificus Mc-Gregor. In both these methods, the predaceous mites are confined on an artificial substrate, which has reduced many of the inconsistencies encountered in methods using host-plant material.