Egg development in adult female Orius is dependent on separate signals from nutrition and mating

Female minute pirate bugs, Orius pumilio (Champion), were found to require both food and successful mating to fully develop mature eggs. By isolating nymphs and the subsequent virgin unfed adults, the roles of feeding, mating, sex ratio, and group interactions on reproduction were examined. The effects of these variables, independently and in combination, were examined by follicular morphometrics and yolk protein ELISA (Shapiro & Ferkovich 2002). Fed and mated females produced mature eggs. On the other hand, fed but unmated females produced some yolk protein but no mature eggs, while unfed females, regardless of mating status, neither produced yolk protein nor showed egg development. We conclude that egg development in adult female O. pumilio is a two-stage process, and that independent and interdependent effects of feeding and mating are necessary to produce mature eggs.