Biological performance and predation rate of Scolothrips longicornis Priesner fed on Tetranychus urticae Koch.

The life table and predation rate of Scolothrips longicornis Priesner fed on Tetranychus urticae Koch were examined at 26 degrees C under laboratory conditions. The age-stage, two-sex life table was used to analyse the raw data in order to account for the varying developmental rates among individuals and both sexes. The intrinsic rate of increase (r), the finite rate of increase (?), the net reproductive rate (R-0), and the mean generation time (T) were 0.156 day(-1), 1.168 day(-1) and 29.15 offspring, and 21.69 days, respectively. Scolothrips longicornis consumed 18.40 and 24.47 T. urticae eggs during the first and second larval stages, respectively. The mean consumption rate for females and males during the longevity was 276.26 and 359.79 eggs of Two-spotted spider mite, respectively. The net consumption rate, which considers survival, was 194.03 T. urticae eggs per individual. The transformation rate from T. urticae population to predatory thrips offspring was 8.9.