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A potent synthetic methodology is introduced to generate a useful intermediate for the preparation of ‘smart’ polymeric pro‐drugs. Herein, living anionic block polymerization of ethylene oxide (EO) and N‐phenylmaleimide (N‐PMI), as well as the Gabriel process, are introduced. Hydrazinolysis of the resulting poly(ethylene oxide)‐block‐poly(N‐PMI) (PEO‐b‐PN‐PMI) using hydrazine under acidic conditions leads to the production of PEO‐based frameworks with hydrazide (HZ) groups. The HZ groups are found to effect the formation of an acid‐sensitive bond in reactions with medicines or drugs under neutral conditions (pH 7.2). The PEO‐HZ intermediate, which shows a strong triplet splitting patterned chemical shift in the range δ = 6.5–8.5 ppm, represents the most powerful material employed for mass production of smart polymeric pro‐drugs while controlling the drug‐loading yield. Water‐soluble “smart” polymeric pro‐drugs, such as poly(ethylene oxide)‐doxorubicin (PEO‐HZ‐Dox), poly(ethylene oxide)‐methotrexate (PEO‐HZ‐MTX), and poly(ethylene oxide)‐folate (PEO‐HZ‐FA) conjugates, show excellent acid‐sensitive release profiles in water or alcohol at pH 4.5.

Investigations into the effect of prey type and quantity on the reproduction, development, and survival of Pacific damsel bug, Nabis kinbergii (Reuter) were conducted in the laboratory. The duration ofdevelopment from eggto adult at 27-28°C was 20.9, 22.5, and 20.9 days when supplied with Australian crop mirid tSidnia kinbergi (Stall), pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris), and diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella (L.» as prey, respectively. On average, adult female Pacific damsel bugs lived longer (58.6 days) and laid more eggs (794) when fed with diamondback moth larvae than when fed with either Australian crop mirid or pea aphid. Minimum food requirements for survival were low as adult females survived for 2 months when supplied only one pea aphid every 4 days. Maximum longevity was achieved when one pea aphid was consumed per day and beyond this level of consumption no increase in longevity occurred. The rate of reproduction was positively correlated with the rate of feeding, but the rate of consumption did not increase proportionately with numbers of pea aphids supplied.

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