Evaluating astigmatid mites as supplemental food for Macrolophus pygmaeus : contrasting responses between commercial and wild populations

BACKGROUND Early establishment of Macrolophus pygmaeus in crops depends on the availability of supplemental food. However, Ephestia kuehniella eggs are costly, and although Artemia franciscana cysts are much cheaper, they may show lower and more variable nutritional quality. We therefore evaluated seven astigmatid mite species as factitious diets for two populations of M. pygmaeus (commercial and wild). RESULTS Survival, development time, adult weight, longevity, fecundity, and demographic parameters were assessed and compared with the standard E. kuehniella diet. As expected, E. kuehniella resulted in the highest biological performance in both populations. Nevertheless, several mite species supported moderate development. Acarus siro and Carpoglyphus lactis emerged as the most promising alternatives, showing relatively high survival, acceptable developmental rates, and less pronounced reductions in fecundity. The wild population showed greater tolerance to suboptimal diets, particularly when fed Lepidoglyphus destructor , suggesting population‐specific nutritional responses likely linked to genetic variation. Life table analyses supported these findings. CONCLUSION Although none of the mite species matched the nutritional quality of E. kuehniella , some represent viable and economically competitive supplemental foods capable of promoting M. pygmaeus establishment in the absence of prey. These results highlight the potential to optimize alternative diets and to develop predator strains better adapted to cost‐effective food sources.