Abstract
Predation by Podisus maculiventris nymphs, a predatory pentatomid, was evaluated with eggs of the flour moth Ephestia kuehniella (Pyralidae), parasitised or not by Trichogramma brassicae (pupae stage). Eggs of this pyralid were glued on rectangular cardboard and presented to nymphs of P. maculiventris as food. The pentatomid successfully reached adult stage when feeding on unparasitised eggs, indicating that flour moth eggs can be used as a factitious food for rearing this predator. Pentatomid nymphs that received only parasitised eggs died before reaching fourth instar. In choice tests, P. maculiventris showed a preference for preying on unparasitised eggs of E. kuehniella rather than those containing pupae of T. brassicae. These results show that it is possible to combine the use of P. maculiventris with releases of T. brassicae in control programs of lepidopteran pests.
Highlights
Pentatomid predators including species of the genus Podisus are natural enemies of many insect pests in North America (McPherson, 1980; De Clercq, 2000), Costa Rica, Panama, Peru and Bolivia, Argentina (Thomas, 1992), and Brazil (Zanuncio et al, 1994, 2001; Torres & Zanuncio, 2001)
Survival of P. maculiventris in the second instar was similar with eggs of E. kuehniella parasitised or not by T. brassicae
Nymphs of P. maculiventris did not show any preference at the first attack for parasitised or unparasitised eggs of E. kuehniella glued on the rectangular cardboard
Summary
Pentatomid predators including species of the genus Podisus are natural enemies of many insect pests in North America (McPherson, 1980; De Clercq, 2000), Costa Rica, Panama, Peru and Bolivia, Argentina (Thomas, 1992), and Brazil (Zanuncio et al, 1994, 2001; Torres & Zanuncio, 2001). In South America, the beneficial action of these natural enemies has been reported in plantations of Eucalyptus (Zanuncio et al, 2000, 2001) and in many agricultural crops such as coffee (Gravena & Lara, 1982), and cashew (Silva, 1965), and passion fruit (Costa Lima, 1940). Predatory Pentatomidae are important agents in biological control of defoliating caterpillars and other insects either through natural occurrence or in programmed releases (Zanuncio et al, 1994; De Clercq, 2000). Success of biological control depends on a good knowledge of the interaction between predatory Pentatomidae and other natural enemies present in a crop. Nymphs of P. maculiventris have been reported as preying on eggs of Epilachna varivestis Mulsant, 1850 (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) (Waddill & Shepard, 1975), Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say, 1824) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) (Hough-Goldstein & McPherson, 1996), Helicoverpa zea (Boddie, 1850) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) as well as Heliothis virescens (Fabr., 1781) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) (Lopez et al, 1976), Spodoptera exigua (Hübner, 1808) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) (De Clercq & Degheele, 1994), and Chrysodeixis chalcites (Esper, 1789) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) (De Clercq et al, 1998)
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