Eur. J. Entomol. 90 (1): 3-10, 1993
Diapause and cold hardiness of phytoseiid mites (Acarina: Phytoseiidae)
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Because of their economic importance as biological control agents, the basic biology of phytoseiid mites has been studied extensively. Diapause induction has been investigated in a number of species, with consistent results; however, very few studies have addressed cold hardiness of these mites. Recent studies of cold hardiness and cold storage of Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot and Amblyseius cucumeris (Oudemans) indicate that cold exposure had greater adverse effects on nondiapausing A. cucumeris, which normally overwinter in diapause, than on P. persimilis, which do not diapause. This might be explained in terms of adaptations for winter survival in their native environments. Phytoseiid mites are easily mass-reared and enter diapause in a facultative manner, and thus may be ideal subjects for investigation of the relationship between cold hardiness and diapause.
Keywords: Ecophysiology, cold hardiness, diapause, overwintering, geographic distribution, Acarina, Phytoseiidae, Phytoseiulus persimilis, Amblyseius cucumeris
Accepted: January 20, 1993; Published: March 25, 1993 Show citation
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