Nutritional Manipulation of Adult Female <I>Orius pumilio</I> (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) Enhances Initial Predatory Performance

Abstract

Commercial shipments of Orius spp. (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) commonly include water and protein, the latter typically supplied by eggs from a moth such as Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller). To determine whether modified dietary conditions might improve predation, newly eclosed adult female Orius pumilio (Champion) were fed on E. kuehniella eggs plus encapsulated water, encapsulated 5% sucrose solution only, or encapsulated water only for periods of 24, 48, or 72 h. Feeding activity was assessed by measuring the area of a crop in digital images of dissected digestive tracts. Adult females fed continuously on eggs had larger crops than did females fed on encapsulated sucrose solution. When females were prefed encapsulated water or sucrose and then fed 3 h on eggs, their crops became highly engorged and were larger than those in females fed continuously on eggs for the same periods. In behavioral choice tests, adult females prefed on encapsulated water or 5% sucrose solution spent a larger portion of time in contact with eggs, presumably feeding, whereas females prefed on eggs showed no preference between eggs or encapsulated water. After overnight shipping, females prefed on water or sucrose and held for 48 h total consumed 3.6- and 4.3-fold, respectively, more western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), in 3 h than those prefed on eggs. Survival rates when prefed on sugar or water were comparable with prefeeding on eggs. Thus, inundative releases of Orius can be enhanced by starvation, because females initially feed much more voraciously after shipment with no apparent reduction in fitness.

Evaluation of a Push-Pull Strategy for the Management ofFrankliniella bispinosa(Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Bell Peppers

“…The effects were signiÞcant on numerous dates between the second and Þfth weeks of ßowering in 2011 and 2012. About 13Ð16 d are required for development from egg to adult of these Orius species (Shapiro et al 2009). Therefore, adults in the pepper ßowers during the second week of ßowering were immigrants.…”

Fitness and predation potential of Macrolophus pygmaeus reared under artificial conditions

“…Bonte and De Clercq (2010b) found that both fifth instars and female adults of O. laevigatus fed artificial diet or pollen had lower body weights but similar predation rates as those reared on E. kuehniella eggs. Interestingly, Shapiro et al (2009) reported that predation by female adults of Orius pumilio (Champion) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) could be enhanced by starving the predators before use. Predators that were fed E. kuehniella eggs during a 48 h shipping and holding period prior to testing predation on Western flower thrips displayed lower predation rates than those only offered water or a carbohydrate solution.…”

Ovarian Development in Predacious Orius pumilio: Relationship to Diet, Mating, and Juvenile Hormone

“…The sexes were differentiated by the subcuticular appearance of genita-liaÑthe ovipositor valves in females or the genital capsule in males. Each nymph was placed in a separate straight-sided well of a microtiter plate (9017, Corning Life Sciences, Lowell, MA) with 10 Ð20 Ϸ2-mm 5% sucrose-Hydrocapsules (Shapiro et al 2009a), Þlled plates were covered with blotting paper (78 by 114 by 0.8 mm) and a cover, and taped tightly closed. After 24 h, each plate cover was carefully removed leaving the blotting paper securely in place, and CO 2 was applied to wells through the blotting paper to anesthetize the insects.…”

“…To test the effects of mating, feeding, or both, newly eclosed virgin females were left unfed (Shapiro et al 2009a) for 3 d before the experiment to allow the completion of possible previtellogenic development. Virgin males, E. kuehniella eggs, or both were then added to speciÞed wells containing females through a 4.4-mm hole in the center of the polystyrene sheet.…”