[Objectives]  To determine the potential for using locally dominant phytoseiid species, important biological control agents of small phytophagous herbivores such as thrips, as biological control agents of the western flower thrip, Frankliniella occidentalis. 【Methods】The development and reproduction of six phytoseiid species, including three local Inner Mongolian species; Euseius utilis Liang et Ke, Paraseiulus soleiger Ribaga and Neoseiulus barkeri, and three commonly used biological control agents; Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot, A. orientalis Ehara and N. cucumeris Oudemans, were determined and compared. All phytoseiids were kept in a laboratory at (25±1)℃, 16L︰8D, and RH80%±5%, and fed on 1st instar F. occidentalis larvae. Life tables of the six species were compiled to evaluate their potential as biological control agents for F. occidentalis.【Results】 There was no significant difference between the average daily oviposition rates of E. utilis (1.67±0.02)eggs and N. cucumeris (1.58±0.06)eggs, both of which were lower than that of A. swirskii (1.69±0.07)eggs. E. utilis had the same sex ratio as N. cucumeris（1.63︰1）, which was lower than that of A. swirskii （1.77︰1） and N. barkeri

(1.64︰1). E. utilis had the shortest mean generation time (T=19.36 d), highest intrinsic rate of natural increase (r_m=0.16) and the highest finite rate of increase (λ=1.17), resulting in the shortest population doubling time（t=4.33 d）.【Conclusion】 E. utilis had the highest capacity for population growth among the six phytoseiid species examined, and therefore the greatest potential to be an effective indigenous biological control agent for the western flower thrip.