Mn. Parajulee et Tw. Phillips, EFFECTS OF PREY SPECIES ON DEVELOPMENT AND REPRODUCTION OF THE PREDATOR LYCTOCORIS-CAMPESTRIS (HETEROPTERA, ANTHOCORIDAE), Environmental entomology, 22(5), 1993, pp. 1035-1042
The effects of selected prey species on life history characteristics o
f Lyctocoris campestris (F.), a predator of stored-product insects, we
re examined in the laboratory at 30 +/- 1-degrees-C, 70 +/- 5% RH, and
16:8 (L:D) h. Newly emerged nymphs (n = 40) were reared singly on eac
h of eight prey species and followed through all life stages until the
predator died. Prey consisted of final instars of test species that w
ere killed by freezing. Life table statistics were used to compare the
predator's potential dynamics on different prey regimes. Developmenta
l period of nymphs was the longest (27.8 d) on Trichoplusia ni (Hubner
), a nonstored-product pest, followed by Trogoderma variabile Ballion
(25.7 d), Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (25.3 d), Oryzaephilus surinamensi
s (L.) (24.8 d), Lasioderma serricorne (F.) (24.3 d), Plodia interpunc
tella (Hubner) (22.6 d), Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (21.8 d), and th
e shortest on Cadra cautella (Walker) (21.6 d), all stored-product pes
ts. The proportion of nymphs surviving to adulthood was also affected
by prey species. Prey species significantly affected the preovipositio
n period of the adult females. The preoviposition period was shortest
on P. interpunctella (9.0 d), and longest on T. variabile (16.9 d). Ov
iposition period did not differ among the eight prey species tested. T
otal fecundity was higher on C. cautella, P. interpunctella, and T. va
riabile than on L. serricorne, T. castaneum, R. dominica, and O. surin
amensis; and lowest on T. ni. There was a strong correlation (r = 0.75
3) between oviposition period and fecundity across all species. Ovipos
ition rate (number of eggs per female/d) was highest on P. interpuncte
lla (4.3), and lowest on T. ni (1.99), giving finite rates of increase
(lambda) of 1.0757 and 1.0379, respectively. Life table statistics sh
owed that P interpunctella, T. castaneum, C. cautella, and L. serricor
ne were the most suitable prey for L. campestris, followed by T. varia
bile, O. surinamensis, and R. dominica, with T. ni least suitable.