Performance of Orius insidiosus on alternative foods

Abstract

Orius insidiosus is economically important for biological control of pests of vegetable and ornamental crops. To improve pest control with this predator, its densities in the crops can be enhanced by the provision of alternative foods, especially when prey are scarce. We therefore compared the performance of O. insidiosus on three alternative foods (Ricinus sp. pollen, bee pollen and the mixed stages of the astigmatid prey Tyrophagus putrescentiae) that are cheaper than frozen eggs of Ephestia kuehniella. Juvenile development was significantly shorter on E. kuehniella and T. putrescentiae than on Ricinus sp. pollen and on bee pollen and lowest without food. Female bugs had a higher oviposition rate when fed either E. kuehniella or T. putrescentiae, but produced fewer eggs when feeding on bee pollen and Ricinus sp. pollen. This shows that T. putrescentiae can possibly be used as cheap alternative food to boost predator populations in periods of low prey densities.

Quantification of Prey Consumption by the Predators Chauliognathus flavipes (Coleoptera: Cantharidae), Cycloneda sanguinea (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), and Orius insidiosus (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae)

“…Consumption of Thrips nymphs, T. absoluta, and H. armigera eggs by O. insidiosus was higher than those reported in the study by Coll & Ridgeway (1995), probably because we only offered only prey and no other supplementary sources of food, such as pollen or nectar (Bernardo et al 2017). We also found that C. sanguinea fed on more M. persicae than Tetranychus spp., probably because this predator commonly preys on the former species under field conditions (Oliveira et al 2005).…”

The function of supplemental foods for improved crop establishment of generalist predators Orius insidiosus and Dicyphus hesperus

“…These results are consistent with studies conducted with M. pygmaeus for which a diet of Ephestia eggs increased the total number of predators on tomato crops relative to control predator population growth 22 as well as for O . insidiosus for which this diet resulted in a greater oviposition rate relative to a diet of pollen or no food at all 29 . Eggs of E .…”

“…For anthocorid and mirid predators, food supplementation with plant or alternate prey resources can greatly improve their long-term crop establishment and contribute to a more sustainable pest management strategy 10,22–25 . Traditionally, eggs of the Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella have been widely used as a food source to maintain populations of predatory bugs 26–29 . However, due to the technical challenge of producing this food source 20 , its cost is generally considered prohibitive for wide scale application in crop food supplementation.…”

“…Orius insidiosus and Macrolophus pygmaeus (Rambur) are also both known to develop to adulthood when reared on pollen alone 10,30 , and O. insidiosus population growth can improve considerably when offered bee collected or Ricinus spp . (Malpighiales: Euphorbiaceae) pollen 29 . However, response to pollen is variable even among members of well recognized pollen feeding predatory species and should be formally evaluated 19 .…”

Predators and Parasitoids-in-First: From Inundative Releases to Preventative Biological Control in Greenhouse Crops

“…Orius naivashae (Poppius); Orius thripoborus (Hesse) Bernardo et al, 2017;Bonte et al, 2017 Astigmatids: Aleuroglyphus ovatus (Troupeau); Austroglycyphagus lukoschusi (Fain); Blomia tropicalis; Carpoglyphus lactis L.; Suidasia medanensis (Oudemans); Thyreophagus cracentiseta Barbosa with purpose built automatized blowers. Supplying predatory mites with factitious (astigmatid) prey mites as food has recently gained popularity among growers.…”