Quantitative evaluation of the feeding of the carmine spider mite Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Boisd.) (Acari, Tetranychidae)

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Abstract
Faecal pellet production by Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Boisd.) was recorded at different temperatures (19, 24, 30, 35°C) and relative humidities (0% to 100%); at all temperatures pellet production was greater under dry than under wet conditions. A feeding index based on faecal pellet production and the proportion of adults surviving each day showed that the optimal conditions for the mite were 24°C and 38% r.h. Pellet production increased under continuous light and, under any particular set of conditions, was closely correlated with the numbers of eggs laid. It is concluded that faecal pellet production can be used as a measure of feeding within a given set of conditions provided it is supplemented and checked by other data.