Evaluation of proxies for quality of Metaseiulus occidentalis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) reared on different stages of Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Highlights
- Quality of phytoseiids used in augmentative releases should be high.
- Current evaluation methods (fecundity, longevity, sex ratio) are expensive.
- Two diets produce Metaseiulus occidentalis females of known quality.
- Size of dorsal shield and time to death of females were tested as quality proxies.
- Both were different for females fed the two diets but were insufficient to predict.