Morphology and Biology of the Carmine Mite Tetranychus cinnabar inus (Boisduval) (Acarina :Tetranychidae)

Abstract

The life history of the carmine mite Tetranychus cinnabar inus (Boisduval) was studied in the laboratory. The incubation period ranged from 3-8 days. The larval period or the deutonymphal period ranged from 1.5-3 days; while that of the protonymph was 1.5-4 days. The total developmental period was completed in 10-23 days. The immature stages and the adults of both sexes are described. The molting process, the copulation process, the sex ratio and the preoviposition period are discussed. An unidentified fungal disease attacked the females in the laboratory was found to affect their rate of ovi-position and longevity.