Feeding behavior of spined soldier bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) on smooth, hairy and coleopteran larvae

The spined soldier bug,Podisus maculiventris (Say) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), is a generalist predator feeding on more than 70 insect pest species. Although the value of P. maculiventris as a biological control agent has been proven, information still lacks regarding feeding potential of this predator on different types of pest. This study was conducted to investigate feeding ability, behavior and preference of P. maculiventris to various types of larvae to develop a successful mass rearing and augmentative biological control strategy. A series of experiments were carried out to determine feeding potential and preference of P. maculiventris to three different types of larvae (i.e. smooth, hairy, and coleopterans). The results of this study showed that P. maculiventris third instars, fifth instars and both adults exhibited the highest preference to the cross-striped cabbage worms, Evergestis rimosalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) and the lowest preference to the fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea, (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae). One P. maculiventris adult could feed on 0.0135±0.0108 g of hemolymph of the mealworm, Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and 0.0462±0.0235 g of hemolymph of P. rapae in a day. Potentials of mass rearing and the use of P. maculiventris for controlling various types of larvae will be discussed in the presentation.