The acarid mite Tyrophagus putriscentiae was used as prey for mass rearing of the immature feeding stages of the anthocorid predator Orius majesculus. Production of the new prey is clean, simple and cheeper than production of natural preys (aphids, thrips, tetranychid mite, lepidopterous eggs). Durations of the five nymphal stadia of Orius were studied when reared on the new mite prey compared to rearing on thrips as target pest. They were shorter and associated with higher survival rates on this new prey. Feeding capacity of all nymphal stadia on the thrips Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergade) was calculated to demonstrate the potential capability of this predator as biocontrol agent. Zusammenfassung Zucht der nahrungsaufnehmenden Entwicklungsstadien von Orius majesculus Reut. (Het., Anthocoridae) mit der Milbe Tyrophagus putriscentiae Schr. als neuer Beute Es gelang erstmalig, eine erfolgreiche Massenzucht von Orius majesculus unter Nutzung der Milbenart Tyrophagus putriscentiae durchzuführen. Die Verwendung dieser Milbe als neue alternative Beute vereinfacht die Zucht von Blumenwanzen. Außerdem ergeben sich ökonomische Vorteile im Vergleich zu Zuchten unter Verwendung von Blattläusen, Tetranychus‐Arten, Thripsen und Lepidopte‐reneiern als Nahrung. Die Entwicklungsdauer der Nymphen von O. majesculus war unter Verwendung von T. putriscentiae mit 13,9 ± 1,1 Tagen kürzer als an Thripsen mit 15,2 ± 1,2 Tagen. Weiterhin war die Überlebensrate an der neuen Beute höher (90,3 ± 2,7 %) als an Thripsen (79,3 ± 2,7 %). Die Fraßkapazität der einzelnen Entwicklungsstadien wurde an dem Kalifornischen Blütenthrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergade) untersucht. Die nahrungsaufnehmenden Entwicklungsstadien fraßen insgesamt während einer Entwicklungsdauer von 12–14 Tagen bei Temperaturen von 25,5 ± 0,5°C zwischen 111 und 138 Thripse (122,0 ± 8,1).

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The efficacy of the entomopathogenic fungus, Metarhizium anisopliae, was assessed through applying different conidiospore concentrations of a local isolate against third and fifth larval instars of the cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) under laboratory conditions. The lowest tested concentrations (2 × 10 1 , 2 × 10 2 , and 2 × 10 3 conidiospores/ml) caused low mortality rates on the tenth day post-treatment (2-14% for L 3 and 0-6% for L 5). The highest concentrations (2 × 10 4 2 × 10 5 , 2 × 10 6 , and 2 × 10 7 conidiospores/ml) induced (52-90%) mortality rate in L 3 and (50-100%) in L 5 on the seventh day post-treatment. Death of treated larvae started on the fourth day post-treatment with the high concentrations. LC 50 and LC 90 values were calculated. They were higher for L 3 than for L 5 .

The efficacy of a local isolate of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana was tested against the red palm weevil (RPW) Rhynchophorus ferrugineus Olivier (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) larvae and adults by direct spraying of the fungus conidiospores on the targeted stages under laboratory conditions. Larvae and adults were offered their natural food as tissue cuts from inside the same infested date palm trees from which they were collected. Six successive increased concentrations from 6 × 10 2 to 6 × 10 7 spores/ml were tested. Results revealed that the maximum mortality rates for the treated larvae of 3rd instar. Whatever the tested concentration was, the end mortality reached (100%). In case of the treated larvae of L 7, the mortality rate ranged between 45 and 75% with the remaining individuals survived and formed cocoons in which they all died in the pupal stage. Also, all treated adult weevils died showing that the highest tested concentrations of B. bassiana killed the weevils in a shorter time (7 days) than in the tested lower concentrations (11 days). Meanwhile, mortality rates in the control for L 3 , L 7 , and adult weevils were always (0.0%). .

A nuclear polyhedrosis virus (GmMNPV) was isolated from the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella L. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae from a dead laboratory colony. A semi-synthetic diet was used for rearing G. mellonella at room conditions of 25-30°C and 60-70% relative humidity. The polyhedral inclusion bodies (PIBs) of the virus were extracted and bio-assayed versus larvae of L 3 of G. mellonella in 5 concentrations, i.e., 2 × 10 2 , 2 × 10 3 , 2 × 10 5 , 2 × 10 7 , and 2 × 10 8 PIBs/ml mixed in the diet (1 ml:1 g). Histopathological study was carried out through a light microscopy of 6-8 μm cross sections in larvae fed on diet contaminated with the virus (2 × 10 8 PIBs/ml in 1 g diet). The virus infected the nuclei in all organ cells of both ectodermal origins, e.g., hypoderm, tracheal epithelial cells, cells of salivary glands, epithelial cells of fore-and hindgut, and those of mesodermal origin, e.g., fat bodies and cortex of ganglia of the nervous system. Experimental protection of artificially infested beeswax foundations by spraying (2 × 10 7 PIBs/ml) kept the wax foundations weight loss at 0.4% for 4 months storing, while those artificially infested without virus treatment were completely devoured (100%) by larvae of the pest within 4 months due to successive pest generations. This treatment is recommended for protecting the stored beeswax foundations and combs as a safe alternative to the traditional hazardous chemical insecticides.