Abstract: 【Aim】 To illustrate the influences of temperature on the development and reproduction of experimental populations of Orius minutus. 【Methods】 At a temperature gradient (15, 20, 25, 30 and 35℃), the developmental duration, survival rate, fecundity and population parameters of O. minutus on prey Tyrophagus putresceniae were investigated in the laboratory. 【Results】 Within the constant temperatures ranging from 15 to 35℃, the average duration of various developmental stages of O. minutus shortened as the temperature rose gradually. O. minutus needed 52.45 d to complete a life cycle at 15℃, while needed 14.85 d at 35℃. The linear regression analysis showed that the developmental threshold temperature for O. minutus was 8.89℃, and its effective cumulative temperature was 359.20 day-degree. The generation survival rate and the number of eggs laid per female peaked at 25℃, being 17.07% and 41.00, respectively. The population trend index was less than 1 at 15 and 35℃, demonstrating that the mean population growth is negative. On the contrary, the population trend index was greater than 1 at 20-30℃ and reached the maximum (3.92) at 25℃. The net reproductive rate, the intrinsic rate of increase and the finite rate of increase peaked at 25℃, being 3.32, 0.04 and 1.04, respectively. The generation time of the population was the longest (57.76 d) at 15℃, but the shortest (17.50 d) at 35℃. 【Conclusion】 The most suitable temperature range for the development of O. minutus on T. putresceniae is 25-35℃, while the most suitable temperature for its survival, reproduction and the population growth is 25℃. These results provide the basic reference data for artificial rearing of O. minutus using T. putresceniae.

Key words: Orius minutus, temperature, development, reproduction, developmental threshold temperature, effective accumulated temperature, population parameters