Artificial diets for rearing Euseius scutalis (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Area of Science:

• Entomology
• Biological Control
• Acarology

Background:

• Mass rearing of Euseius scutalis using natural prey is expensive and limits biological pest control.
• Artificial diets offer a potential alternative for mass rearing, but their biological impact requires evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the suitability of eight artificial diets for the mass rearing of Euseius scutalis.
• To identify optimal diet formulations for enhancing predator development and reproduction.

Main Methods:

• Euseius scutalis development and reproduction were evaluated on a basic artificial diet (A) and seven variations enriched with natural ingredients.
• Key life history parameters including development time, oviposition, fecundity, and population growth rates (r and λ) were measured.

Main Results:

• Euseius scutalis completed development on all tested diets, with oviposition observed on all except diets E and H.
• Diets B (date palm pollen) and F (date palm pollen + E. kuehniella eggs) showed the shortest pre-oviposition periods and highest fecundity.
• Diets B and F, along with D (E. kuehniella eggs), exhibited significantly higher intrinsic (r) and finite (λ) rates of increase.

Conclusions:

• Date palm pollen, Ephestia kuehniella eggs, or a combination thereof, are beneficial additions to basic artificial diets for Euseius scutalis mass rearing.
• These enriched diets promote better development, reproduction, and population growth compared to other tested formulations.
• Optimized artificial diets can enhance the application of Euseius scutalis in biological pest control programs.