Received: 26-02-2018 / Accepted: 18-04-2018
Predatory mite Paraphytoseius cracentis (Acari: Phytoseiidae)is a natural enemy of thrips found on some vegetables such as green beans, cucumbers, green squash, egg plant, and peppers in the Red River Delta. The purpose of this study was to investigate the morphological and biological characteristics of P. cracentisfed on Frankliniella occidentalis(Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and Carpoglyphus lactis(Acari: Acaridae) at 29°C, 75% RH. The predatory mite fed on C. lactiswas similar in size to that of mite fed on F. occidentalis.The developmental times of immature females and males of the mite fed on C. lactis(4.24 and 4.26 days, respectively) were not significantly different from mites fed on thrips (4.23 days with female and 4.26 days with male). The daily oviposition rate and total number of eggs of P. cracentisreared on C. lactis(1.62 eggs/female/day and 18.48 eggs/female, respectively) were significantly higher than that of females reared on thrips (1.24 eggs/female/day and 13.77 eggs/female, respectively). The intrinsic rate of natural increase of P. cracentisfed on C. lactis(0.215 females /female/day) was significantly higher than that of mites fed on thrips (0.189 females /female/day). In conclusion, predatory mite P. cracentiswas able to survive and increase its population when fed on F. occidentalisand C. lactiscould be used formass rearing of this predatory mite.