REPRODUCTIVE-BEHAVIOR OF THE SPECIALIST PREDATOR ELATOPHILUS-HEBRAICUS (HEMIPTERA, ANTHOCORIDAE)

The reproductive biology of Elatophilus hebraicus Pericart, the princi pal predator of Matsucoccus josephi Bodenheimer & Harpaz (Homoptera: M atsucoccidae), was investigated. Oviposition is usually through a stom a. Eggs were laid on both adaxial and abaxial sides along the needle. Ln the forest usually a few eggs were inserted in a straight line thro ugh the adaxial side; additional eggs;s were observed in needles colle cted from the north-facing, inner parts of the crown. Females of E. he braicus were exposed separately to 38 plant species. Adult needles of each of the 17 pine species employed, which consisted of both Haloxylo n and Dilpoxylon, served for oviposition and successful neonate hatchi ng. No oviposition took place in juvenile needles of tested pines, Ovi position did not occur in conifer needles other than pine or in needle like assimilating organs of broad-leaved plants. A possible explanatio n of the ability of E. hebraicus to recognize pines and reject other p lants is discussed. The preoviposition period ranged from 3.8 to 5.1 d . Significant differences were found in length of oviposition periods and life span under different temperature regimes. The highest mean nu mber of eggs per female (202.7) was achieved when development and ovip osition occurred at 26 degrees C. At constant 20 degrees C, or 18-28 d egrees C outdoors, an average female lived approximate to 3 mo; ovipos ition lasted approximate to 2 mo; and a female's life span was reduced to 5 and 2 wk at constant 26 and 30 degrees C, respectively.