A meridic diet for continuous rearing of Arma chinensis (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae: Asopinae)

Abstract

An artificial diet comprised of pig liver and tuna fish but devoid of insect components was developed for continuous rearing of the predator Arma chinensis Fallou. Our results demonstrated less desirable biological parameters in A. chinensis reared on this artificial diet compared to a secondary prey, pupae of Chinese oak silk moth Antheraea pernyi Guérin-Méneville. Weight of eggs and adults, fecundity and egg viability were lower for diet-fed A. chinensis compared to A. chinensis reared on pupae of A. pernyi. Developmental time from 2nd instar to adult and the preovipositional period were significantly longer for diet-fed A. chinensis. Cannibalism was also higher with diet-fed A. chinensis. Over successive generations of rearing on the diet some of the characteristics improved, such as developmental time, survival from 2nd instar to adult, sex ratio (♂:♀), adult weight, fecundity and fertility. These changes may indicate that the predators experience some degree of adaptation to, or genetic selection for, the diet after several consecutive generations. There were no changes in developmental time of egg and 1st instar, or survival from 1st to 2nd instar with successive generations reared on the artificial diet. However, diet-fed adults did live longer than pupae-fed adults.