The genus Orius is a group of general predators and consumes a variety of pests including mites, thrips, aphids, eggs and young larvae of moths and other small, soft鄄bodied insects. It is an important biological control agent and plays an important role in controlling many pests. Researches on the effect of different preys on the predation and prey preference of Orius can provide basis for effective use of the agent in biological control. The predation and preference of newly hatched nymph, fifth instar nymph, female adult of O. similis to 3 species of preys, i. e. , (Frankliniella occidentalis, Aphis craccivora, Tetranychus urticae and their combinations) , were studied. The results showed that 1 st instar nymph of the predator, acclimated by feeding different preys, had no significant difference on predation capacity and preference to the prey. Comparison of C i with null hypothesis showed that the preference of 1 st instar nymph of the predator to F. occidentalis was positive under 4 prey treatments with no preference to A. craccivora. There was no preference to T. urticae when feeding on T. urticae, while the preference to T. urticae was negative on other treatments. Fifth instar nymph of the predator, acclimated by feeding different preys, had a significant difference in predation capacity and preference to the prey, significantly increasing the predation to prior feed. For example, the preference to F. occidentalis was biggest with the value of 0. 2580, when O. similis had experienced feeding on F. occidentalis. The predatory capacity and preference to
Western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) , has become one of the most important agricultural pests worldwide,because of its extensive host range, reproductive capacity, invasion potential, plant viruses transmition ability and insecticide resistance. All of these interrelating factors are related to the basic life cycle and life history of the species, making western flower thrips the significant, difficult pest to manage. More than 500 kinds of host plants of western flower thrips have been reported. Notably, more and more serious damage to vegetables by F. occidentalis has been observed in recent years and the levels of damages were different with vegetable species. In order to know the differences and offer basis data for control, the life tables for experimental populations of F. occidentalis were established at constant temperature of 25 益 , relative humidity of 70% and photoperiod of 16L 颐8D, on cucumber, lettuce, eggplant, cabbage, celery and garlic leaves, respectively. The results showed that the thrip could develop and reproduce on all tested host plants, and there were significantly differences in the developmental periods, survival rates and fecundities on the 6 vegetable hosts. The shortest time for F. occidentalis to complete one generation was 11. 43 days on cucumber, and the longest was 16. 11 days on celery. The survival rates of F. occidentalis at different stages were different on different host
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