The mean predation rate per day and the effect of the prey on the development and survival of the various nymphal stages of Podisus maculiventris (Say) were studied under field-cage conditions. Third instar larvae of the Colorado potato beetle Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say) and the large white butterfly Pieris brassicae (Linnaeus) were used as the prey.The results show that under climatic conditions similar to those occurring in the Thessaloniki region (N. Greece), the 5 th instar nymphs and the adults of the predator P. maculiventris would be promising agents for the biological control of larvae of L. decemlineata and P. brassicae.
KEY-WORDS :Podisus maculiventris, Leptinotarsa decemlhzeata, Pieris brassicae, biological control, predation rate, development rate.The spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris (Say), is a generalist predator that originates from N. America and attacks many kinds of forest and field crop pests (Coutu-
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