DEVELOPMENT, REPRODUCTION AND LONGEVITY OF ORIUS-MINUTUS AND ORIUS-SAUTERI (HETEROPTERA, ANTHOCORIDAE) WHEN REARED ON EPHESTIA-KUEHNIELLA EGGS

Developmental, reproductive, and adult longevity, rates of Orius minut us (L) and Orius sauteri (Poppius) were studied in the laboratory usin g eggs of Ephestia kuehniella Zeller as prey. Immature development for both species took approximately 12 days and did not differ significan tly between the sexes. Total fecundity rates were significantly higher for O. minutus (105.36) than O. sauteri (68.40) as were male longevit y rates (18.11 days vs. 11.50 days) and female longevity rates for bot h virgin (16.73 days vs. 24.75 days) and ovipositing (13.90 days vs. 1 9.69 days) individuals. However, O. minutus suffered higher mortality rates in the laboratory, thus calculated intrinsic rates of natural in crease were for O. minutus (r(m)=0.137) and O. sauteri (r(m)=0.132) we re similar.