PREY CAPTURE ABILITY OF PODISUS-NIGRISPINUS (DALLAS) (HET, PENTATOMIDAE) REARED FOR SUCCESSIVE GENERATIONS ON A MERIDIC DIET

Adults and nymphs of Podisus nigrispinus reared for three and four gen erations, respectively, on a meat-based artificial diet were able to f ind, capture and feed on velvetbean caterpillar (Anticarsia gemmatalis Hub. (Lep., Noctuidae)) in laboratory and in greenhouse. In laborator y, nymphs reared on artificial diet were more aggressive to their prey than those reared on house fly larvae (Musca domestica L. (Dipt., Mus cidae)), an alternative prey currently used for rearing this predatory species. Adults reared on the artificial diet behaved similarly to th ose reared on house fly larvae. In greenhouse, adults and nymphs of P. nigrispinus previously reared on artificial diet and released on soyb ean plants (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) exhibited prey capture ability com parable to those reared on house fly larvae. Therefore, predators rear ed on this meat-based artificial diet seem to be as suitable for biolo gical control programmes as those reared on house fly larvae.