Phytoseiid predatory mites are the most important group of biocontrol agents currently used in protected cultivations worldwide. The possibility to produce these predators at high densities on factitious prey mites is a crucial factor for their success. Commonly used factitious prey mites comprise mainly species belonging to the cohort of Astigmatina. In the present study, we investigated the potential of tarsonemid prey mites as a food source for the spider mite predator Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) (Acari: Phytoseiidae). The oviposition of N. californicus on mixed stages of Tarsonemus fusarii Cooreman (Acari: Tarsonemidae) was similar to that on its natural prey, the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae). As most tarsonemids are specialized fungus-feeders, we tested the effect of different fungal species on the growth of T. fusarii. Subsequently, we analysed the impact on the fungal growing medium on the oviposition of N. californicus. The fungal growing medium of T. fusarii had a significant negative effect on the reproductive output of the predatory mite. When T. fusarii was separated from the rearing medium, these detrimental effects were not observed. The present study shows the potential of using tarsonemid prey mites in the production of phytoseiid predatory mites.

植物性捕食性螨是目前在全世界受保护的耕作中使用的最重要的生物防治剂。在人为的pre螨上高密度生产这些捕食者的可能性是其成功的关键因素。常用的人为pre螨主要包括属于Astigmatina的物种。在当前的研究中，我们调查了酒石mid螨作为红蜘蛛捕食者新孢子虫（McGregor）（Acari：Phytoseiidae）的食物来源的潜力。加利福尼亚猪笼草在Tarsonemus fusarii Cooreman（Acari：Tarsonemidae）混合阶段的产卵与其天然猎物两斑红蜘蛛Tetranychus urticae的产卵相似科赫（阿卡里语：Tetranychidae）。由于大多数酒石mid类都是专门的真菌饲养者，因此我们测试了不同真菌种类对镰刀菌生长的影响。随后，我们分析了对加利福尼亚州猪产卵对真菌生长培养基的影响。镰刀菌的真菌生长培养基对捕食性螨的繁殖产量具有显着的负面影响。当T. fusarii从饲养介质中分离出来，这些有害的影响，未观察到。本研究表明，在植物杀螨性螨的生产中可能使用酒石mid螨。