Effect of different plant pollens on the development and oviposition of seven native phytoseiid species (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in Japan

The quality of pollen of tea (Camellia sinensis L.), big leaf podocarp tree [Podocarpus macrophyllus (Thumb.)] and sweet corn (Zea mays L.) as alternative food sources was evaluated for seven native phytoseiid mite species, Amblyseius eharai Amitai and Swirski, Euseius sojaensis (Ehara), Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor), Neoseiulus womersleyi (Schicha), Phytoseius nipponicus Ehara, Chanteius contiguus (Chant) and Typhlodromus vulgaris Ehara. Tea pollen was of high nutritional value for all seven phytoseiid species: most larvae developed to adults and most females oviposited well. Development and oviposition differed greatly among phytoseiid species when reared on big leaf podocarp tree pollen: A. eharai, T. vulgaris and C. contiguus could utilize the pollen as food, but the other phytoseiid species could not. In addition, big leaf podocarp tree pollen could be utilized by A. eharai as food for longer than the other pollen. The quality of sweet corn pollen was inferior in general, although it could somehow favor the development and oviposition of six phytoseiid species except for E. sojaensis.