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The development and reproduction of Raoiella indica on Areca catechu were studied under laboratory conditions at 25,42±1,21°C and 57,54±6,54% HR. The experimental units were leaf discs of A. catechu in Petri dishes (10,5 cm diameter) with water-saturated cotton. Gravid females were transferred to experimental unit and allowed to lay eggs for five hours. The duration of each life cycle stages were registered. The larvae that emerged were transferred to individual arenas and observed until adult appearance. The average duration of the life cycle was 31 days. The egg stage was the longest, while that of protonymphs was the shortest. The preoviposition period averaged 4 days, while the oviposition period can last 17 days, with an average of 11 days and a female longevity of 30 days. Sex ratio was 56% females. The mortality of immature stages was: 14,6% for larvae; 7,3% for protonymphs, and 17,1% for deutonymphs, with 39% total mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Feeding behavior of Amblyseius largoensis on Raoiella indica was determined on excised Areca catechu leaves infested with all the stages of the prey. The studies were carried out under laboratory conditions at 25,42±1,21 °C and 57,54±6,54% RH. Gravid females of the predatory mites were previously kept in starvation in hermetic plastic boxes for 24 hr. The starving females were then placed on experimental arena: A. catechu leaves infested with all the stages of R. indica were placed on water-saturated cotton layer in Petri dishes. The leaves were surrounded with wet cotton. The activity of the phytoseiid mite was observed continuously under a dissecting microscope for 30 min. The number of prey killed was 1,30; the percentage of successful attacks, 39,39%; and the mean time spent on feeding on each prey was 74,65 seg. A. largoensis fed on egg, larva, nymph and female stages. Most of the time was spent on prey foraging, grooming and resting. Results showed, for the first time, that A. largoensis can feed on R. indica, what supports its possible use in the management of this exotic mite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]