A tale of two species: Orius insidiosus and Orius pumilio share a predatory niche on an organic farm in Florida

Two species of predator, Orius insidiosus and O. pumilio, were compared in field and laboratory studies. They live in close proximity and apparently shared the same ecological niche during the spring of 2008 and 2009 when sampled from Queen Anne’s lace on an organic farm. The sharp rise in population of Florida flower thrips (Frankliniella bispinosa) was followed and apparently attenuated by increasing populations of both Orius species. However, the population structures of the two species differed. The extent of their relatedness was therefore studied by comparing reproductive physiology, gene sequences, and genitalic morphology in the lab. The two species proved to be more closely related to each other than to the western species of Orius, O. tristicolor.