DEVELOPMENT OF THE PREDATORY STINKBUG BRONTOCORIS-TABIDUS (SIGNORET) (HETEROPTERA, PENTATOMIDAE) ON DIFFERENT PROPORTIONS OF AN ARTIFICIAL DIET AND PUPAE OF TENEBRIO-MOLITOR L (COLEOPTERA, TENEBRIONIDAE)

The development of the Neotropical predatory pentatomid Brontocoris ta bidus on an artificial diet based on beef meat and liver was evaluated The predator showed significantly longer nymphal development and lowe r adult weights on this diet than when reared on pupae of the mealworm Tenebrio molitor. The survival of nymphs fed exclusively on the artif icial diet was somewhat lower compared with feeding on T. molitor pupa e. When B. tabidus was bred on this artificial diet during part of its nymphal period (i.e. during the second; second and third; and second, third and fourth instars), and was subsequently returned to T. molito r pupae, the predator nymphs completed the nymphal stage with a develo pmental rate similar to that of nymphs fed on live prey throughout. Th e adults attained after switching from the artificial diet to live pre y from the third and fourth instar onwards had similar weights to thos e in the control. Considering the relatively good results obtained wit h B. tabidus and other members of the pentatomid subfamily Asopinae, t his meat-based diet may be a valuable alternative for use in the mass production of predatory pentatomids.