Biological aspects and feeding behaviour of the predacious soil mite Nenteria hypotrichus (Uropodina: Uropodidae)

Abstract

The uropodid mite Nenteria hypotrichus was common in plots of a citrus orchard receiving farmyard manure. Larvae survived on a wide range of diets, such as fungus, organic manure, collembola, acarid mites and nematodes, but individuals successfully developed to adult stage only on acarid mites and nematodes. None of these exclusive diets was sufficient to induce female reproduction. On a combination of 1 part organic matter:100 acarids:1000 nematodes, females lived longer and reproduced, indicating the necessity of a multi-food diet for a normal life-cycle and reproduction.