A phytoseiid mite, Neoseiulus californicus was newly found from Jeju citrus orchards in Korea and it is a polyphagous predator of mite and small insect pests as well as plant pollens. Recently in Korean apple orchards, Tetranychus urticae and Panonychus ulmi are imposing similar pest pressure. Even with ample information of this predator interacting with T. urticae, little is known on the interaction with P. ulmi.
We investigated temperature effects on life history parameters of N. californicus when feeding on P. ulmi as prey in the laboratory condition to check the possibility to use this predatory mite in apple mite biological control. So, the development, survivorship and life-table parameters of the predator were studied by given mixed stages of P. ulmi as prey under the range of temperatures (15-34°C), RH 75±10%, and photoperiod 16L:8D to determine the effects of temperature.
Temperature had a significant effect on mean development time from hatching to adult emergence and other life-history parameters. The results specified that the developmental time is decreased with increasing temperature between 15 and 30oC. Female development times were shorter at 25, 30 and 34°C (3.83±0.07, 3.37±0.24 and 3.53±0.11d, respectively) and were longest at 15°C (15.61±0.22d). Male developmental times were shorter than females ones at each temperature. The highest adult female life span (70.42±3.06d) and oviposition period (35.83±1.43d) observed at 15oC whereas the shortest at 34oC (13.06±1.03 and 7.3±0.94d, respectively). At 25oC, females laid maximum number of eggs (63.94±2) while minimum (16.59±0.98) was at 34oC. In sex ratio, utmost number of females (0.77±0.01) was counted at 25oC and lowest (0.67±0.01) at 34oC. Survivorship during immature development varied from 78.78 to 93.75% with the lowest value recorded at 20 and 34oC.
From life table analysis, the shortest generation time (T=10.7d) resulted at 34oC. The highest net reproductive rate (R0=44.31; expected progeny per female) was found at 25oC. The intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm=0.29) and the finite rate of increase (λ=1.33) per day was estimated highest at 30oC. From this study, we found that N. californicus could successfully develop and oviposit vital eggs. Based on these results, we cautiously expect that N. californicus could be used as a biocontrol agent of spider mites in apple orchards when P. ulmi or T. urticae occurs singly or mutually.

• Hasan Fuad El Taj(Insect Ecology Laboratory, School of Bioresource Sciences, Andong National University)
• Chuleui Jung(Insect Ecology Laboratory, School of Bioresource Sciences, Andong National University)