Cold storage effects on the female predatory thrips Scolothrips longicornis Priesner (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) fed on Tetranychus urticae Koch eggs for different time periods (5, 10, 20 and, 30 days) at 5 or 25 °C (control) on development and life table parameters were examined. Female adult duration and female total longevity were not influenced by the period of cold storage. The minimum mean female total longevity (28.1 ± 0.32 day) was observed in the 30-day treatment. The oviposition period decreased with increasing cold storage duration. All life table parameters of S. longicornis demonstrated a significant difference across treatments. Our results demonstrated that the female adult of S. longicornis could be maintained at 5 °C for 5-days with minimal reduction in the life-history process. This would be beneficial in the storage and mass production of S. longicornis in biocontrol programs involving T. urticae.

The effect of five photoperiods (0:24, 6:18; 12:12, 18:6, and 24:0 light:dark (L:D)) on the development, reproduction, and survival of the predatory thrips Scolothrips longicornis Priesner fed on the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, was tested under laboratory conditions at 60% RH and 25°C. Development time of almost all immature stages in S. longicornis was the shortest under long day lengths (18:6 and 24:0 L:D). The adult duration of both sexes decreased with increasing light length from 6 to 24 h. The longevity of male and female decreased with increasing light length. Under a 12:12 L:D photoperiod, S. longicornis females had the longest oviposition period and longevity, highest net reproductive rate (R0 = 15.37), intrinsic rate of natural increase (r = 0.141), and finite rate of increase (λ = 1.151). Life table parameters showed a significant difference with various photoperiods. The consequences of the present research demonstrated that a 12:12 L:D photoperiod is the most favorable for the reproduction and development of S. longicornis fed on T. urticae, and that for mas rearing for augmentative biological control programs, would be the ideal photoperiod to maximize production.