A Preliminary Assessment of (Chant) as a Potential Biocontrol Agent against Phytophagous Mites Occurring on Coniferous Plants.

Development, survival and reproduction of (Chant), a predatory mite widely distributed in Europe, were assessed on different food items. These included two key pests of ornamental coniferous plants, i.e., (Jacobi) and (Haller) and pollen of L. The rationale behind these experiments was to provide a preliminary assessment of the potential of as a biocontrol agent of the above phytophagous arthropods and evaluate pine pollen as an alternative food source for the predator. Under laboratory conditions (23 ± 0.5 °C, 70 ± 10% RH and 16L:8D) was able to feed, develop and reproduce on all tested diets. The shortest development time (egg to female) was obtained when the predator fed on (mean = 5.12 d) and the longest was on pine pollen (mean = 6.55 d). The r value was significantly higher on both tested prey (0.166 on and 0.160 on ) than on pollen (0.139). Thus, we do not recommend pine pollen for mass rearing of ; however, we conclude that pollen may provide sufficient sustenance for the predator population under field conditions when prey are absent. The potential of as a biocontrol agent of and is discussed.