Temperature effects on the biology of Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Boisduval) and Typhlodromus occidentalis (Nesbitt) (Acarina: Phytoseiidae) were studied in the laboratory. Temperature had a definite effect on the developmental time, longevity and survival of adult females, and duration and rate of oviposition in both T. occidentalis and T. cinnabarinus. Increases in temperature significantly decrease developmental time, pre-oviposition periods, oviposition duration and rate, and the longevity and survival rates of both adult females. However, the daily consumption rate of T. occidentalis protonymph, deutonymph and adult gravid female increased significantly with an increase in temperature. Mean generation times decreased for both mites with an increase in temperature. The intrinsic rate of natural increase rose with each temperature increase. However, the r(m) of T. occidentalis was less than that for T. cinnabarinus at all temperature regimes, and it decreased from the 26.6° C regime to the 30.5° C regime. Of the three temperatures studied, 22.7°, 26.6°, and 3.5° C, 22.7° C proved to be the optimum for the predator to maintain control over the prey.

Spine title: Interactions between plants and mites / Includes journal article by the author / Bibliography: leaves [1]-[9] / viii, 98, [110] leaves : ill. (some col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, 1988