The two spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae), alternative prey for the lacewing Dichochrysa prasina (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

The predatory lacewing Dichochrysa prasina can feed and reproduce on various aphid species. However, other species such as Tetranychus urticae may serve as an alternative prey for this predator in the field in periods when the population density of aphids is low. In peach orchards in Northern Greece D. prasina larvae are often found during the summer months on leaves infested with T. urticae. The development and reproduction of D. prasina fed on T. urticae at a series of different constant temperatures were studied. The percentages of D. prasina larvae that completed their development when fed on T. urticae ranged from 12 to 60% depending on the temperature over the range from 20 to 30 deg C, whereas at temperatures above 33 deg C no larvae survived. Longevity and egg production of D. prasina females fed during the larval stages on T. urticae were also determined and certain demographic parameters such as the intrinsic rate of increase (rm), mean generation time and net reproductive rate were estimated. Over the range of temperatures from 20 to 27 deg C, the rm values were not significantly different and varied from 0.06629 to 0.07030. Based on the results of the present study, the possible effect of the availability of T. urticae as prey for D. prasina during summer is discussed.