The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of the insect resistant soybean genotype IAC 17 on reproductive characteristics of Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) females compared to the soybean insect susceptible genotype UFV 16. Treatments were: T1) females of P. nigrispinus fed on plants of the UFV 16 and Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) caterpillars reared on leaves of this variety; T2) females of P. nigrispinus fed on plants of the IAC 17 and A. gemmatalis caterpillars reared on leaves of this variety. Longevity of females, pre-oviposition, oviposition and pos-oviposition periods, number of eggs and egg masses/ female, egg weight, interval between egg mass laying, number of eggs/egg mass, percentage of nymphs, number of nymphs/female and total number of prey killed/female of P. nigrispinus were evaluated. Most of the characteristics evaluated showed similar results between treatments, but the oviposition period was longer for females reared on the resistant genotype than on the susceptible one and the percentage of total females that laid eggs was lower on the IAC 17. Also, the resistant genotype caused higher mortality of P. nigrispinus females at the beginning of its adult stage and egg production by females of this predator was better spread along its adult stage with this resistant genotype. On the other hand, results suggest no effect of the resistant genotype on the offspring of this predator.Index terms: Anticarsia gemmatalis, insects, reproduction, biological control, pest control. Características reprodutivas do predador Podisus nigrispinus alimentado com variedade de soja resistente a insetosResumo O objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar o efeito do genótipo IAC 17, resistente a insetos, nas características reprodutivas de fêmeas de Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), utilizando o genótipo susceptível UFV 16 como controle. Os tratamentos foram: T1) fêmeas de P. nigrispinus alimentadas com plantas de UFV 16 e lagartas de Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), criadas em folhas desta cultivar; T2) fêmeas de P. nigrispinus alimentadas com plantas de IAC 17, e lagartas de A. gemmatalis, criadas em folhas desta cultivar. Avaliou-se a longevidade das fêmeas, períodos de pré-oviposição, oviposição e pós-oviposição, número de ovos e de posturas/fêmea, peso dos ovos, intervalo entre posturas, número de ovos/postura, porcentagem de ovos eclodidos, número de ninfas/fêmea e número total de presas mortas/fêmea de P. nigrispinus. A maioria das características avaliadas mostrou resultados semelhantes entre tratamentos, exceto o período de oviposição, que foi mais longo para fêmeas criadas no genótipo resistente que no susceptí-vel, e a porcentagem de fêmeas que ovipositaram antes de morrer, que foi menor na IAC 17. Além disso, o genótipo IAC 17 causou maior mortalidade de fêmeas de P. nigrispinus no início de sua fase adulta e distribuição mais uniforme da produção de ovos ao longo do período adulto desse predado...

-Parasitism by Campoletis flavicincta (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) on Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and consequent reduction of production losses were evaluated on caged corn plants in the field. Treatments consisted of plots infested with 0 (control), 15 and 30 pairs of C. flavicincta with egg masses per cage and plot infested without cage and liberation of the parasitoid. Parasitoid release was done when S. frugiperda larvae were three-day-old. Fifty corn plants (40%) per plot were collected seven days after infestation and S. frugiperda larvae present were reared in glass cups on an artificial diet. Number of S. frugiperda larvae was reduced by C. flavicincta but mortality of the pest and parasitoid sex ratio in laboratory were similar among treatments. Total progeny and female production from collected larvae were similar among densities of released parasitoid. Parasitism rate was higher on 30 than on 15 pairs of C. flavicincta. Damage on corn plants at seven and 14 days after S. frugiperda infestation had similar grades at 0, 15 or 30 C. flavicincta pairs and higher values than the plots without cage. Damage by S. frugiperda was lower at 30 C. flavicincta pairs after 21 days of infestation. Final stand, stand reduction by plant death and corn productivity were similar among treatments.Index terms: field cage evaluation, corn pests, biological control, parasitoid density, Ichneumonidae. Parasitismo de

ABSTRACT. Nymphal development of the predator Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) fed with a susceptible (UFV 16) or an insect resistant soybean genotype (IAC 17) and with larvae of the prey Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) reared on these genotypes, was evaluated. Survival and duration of each instar and of total nymphal stage, besides weight of nymphs at the beginning of each instar and of adults of P. nigrispinus soon after emergence, were also evaluated. Nymphal survival of this predator was similar with both genotypes (64.41% for the UFV 16 and 72.88% for the IAC 17). Duration of second and fourth instars for nymphs that originated females, of fourth instar for those that originated males, of the nymphal period for males (20.21 and 17.94 days) and females (19.76 and 18.19 days) was longer on the IAC 17 than on the UFV 16. Weight of third instar nymphs (3.12 mg and 2.42 mg) for those that originated males and of fifth instar (26.20 mg and 23.86 mg) for those that originated females and female weight after emergence (65.76 mg and 58.68 mg) was lower with the IAC 17 than with the UFV 16. Sex ratio of P. nigrispinus was not affected by the resistant soybean IAC 17.

Litlle is known about Podisus distinctus (Stal) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) one of the Asopinae species with good possibilities for mass rearing and releasing against defoliator caterpillars in eucalyptus reforested areas in Brazil. We evaluated the impact of prey combinations on weight of nymphs and adults of P. distinctus. The prey were Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae) and Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). The experiment was developed under 25 ± 0.5ºC, 60 ± 10% R.H. and photophase of 14 hr, with nymphs of P. distinctus individualized in Petri dishes and fed as: T1-larvae of M. domestica during its whole nymphal phase; T2-larvae of M. domestica during its II instar and of T. molitor during the other instars; T3larvae of M. domestica during II and III instars and of T. molitor during the other instars; T4-larvae of M. domestica during II, III and IV instars and of T. molitor during the V instar; T5-larvae of T. molitor during all instars. P. distinctus presents lower weight when fed with larvae of M. domestica. For this reason it is recommended to feed P. distinctus with T. molitor during its whole nymphal phase or with larvae of M. domestica only during II and III instars and T. molitor during IV and V instars.