Generalist predators are capable of consuming different types of prey, and as each prey may have distinct nutritional values, each may have a distinct impact on the biology of the predator. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine how the consumption of different prey influences certain biological characteristics and the predatory capacity of Orius insidiosus (Say). The investigation was performed in climatic chamber at 25 ±1 ºC, RH 70 ± 10% and fotophase 12. Eggs of Anagasta kuehniella (Zeller), adults of Caliothrips phaseoli (Hood) and nymphs of Aphis gossypii Glover were used as prey and were provided daily ad libitum for all the mobile stages of the predator. The results showed that biological parameters of O. insidiosus are affected differently depending on the type of prey ingested. The development time of the nymphal stage was 13.1, 11.23 and 10.25 days for O. insidiosus feeding on eggs of A. kuehniella, nymphs of A. gossypii and adults of C. phaseoli, respectively. Longevity was five times larger for adults fed on eggs of A. kuehniella (56.25 days) compared to that of adults that preyed on nymphs of A. gossypii (11.44 days), and four times larger when the prey were adults of C. phaseoli (13.58 days). The consumption of eggs of A. kuehniella by predator females resulted in a shorter pre-oviposition period (3.2 days) and a longer oviposition period (44.4 days) when compared to the consumption of other types of prey. In addition, fecundity was increased with the consumption of eggs of A. kuehniella (195.25 eggs laid / female) when compared to feeding on the other prey, C. phaseoli (70.00 eggs laid / female) or A. gossypii (22.50 eggs laid / female). However, the consumption of aphids was larger (148.28 nymphs/ nymphal stage) than that of thrips (74.10 thrips / nymphal stage) or eggs of A. kuehniella (37.03 eggs /nymphal stage) for all of the nymphal stages of the predator. The results indicate that the eggs of A. kuehniella are the type of prey best suited for rearing this predator insect under laboratory conditions. Also fecundity was better with this prey even though the predator consumed during its nymphal stage a lesser quantity of eggs compared to the other prey

Effect of Photoperiod on Reproduction and Longevity of Orius insidiosus (Say) (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) ABSTRACT-Orius insidiosus (Say) is an important predator of thrips and photoperiod can affect the reproduction of this insect. The objective of this work was to verify the occurrence of reproductive diapause in O. insidiosus in laboratory conditions. The experiments were carried out in environmental chambers, at photoperiods of 9L:15D, 10L:14D, 11L:13D, 12L:12D, 13L:11D and 14L:10D, temperature of 25±1ºC and RH of 70±10%. Fecundity and sex ratio were not affected by the different photoperiods; an average number of 162.0, 189.8, 175.8, 195.2, 132.2 and 125.1 eggs/female, respectively, were found on these photoperiods. However, the photoperiods affected longevity of the predator. Longevity varied from 77.1 days, at photoperiod 10L:14D, to 40.1 days at photoperiod 9L:15D. O. insidiosus did not enter reproductive diapause in the conditions carried out in this experiment. This information is important to understand the factors that are involved on performance and use of O. insidiosus on biological control of thrips on protected cultivation.