Abstract
The zoophytophagous predator Dicyphustamaninii Wagner (Heteroptera: Miridae) hasbeen successfully reared for more than fivegenerations on a meat-based diet, and in theabsence of a plant as a substrate foroviposition and feeding. We compared thepredation efficiency of D. tamaniniiproduced on this diet with those rearedconventionally on Ephestia kuehniellaeggs (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) andtobacco plants. Their performances wereevaluated on two prey, the greenhouse whiteflyTrialeurodes vaporariorum Westwood(Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) and the cotton aphidAphis gossypii Glover (Homoptera: Aphididae). Their tendency to cannibalisticbehaviour was also evaluated.Nymphs of D. tamaninii produced on themeat diet consumed a similar number ofgreenhouse whitefly pupae after 24 and 48 hoursto nymphs reared by the conventional method.Diet-reared females consumed significantly morewhitefly pupae after 24 and 48 hours thancontrol females. When the cotton aphid wasoffered, diet-reared D. tamaninii nymphsand females consumed similar numbers of prey tocontrol D. tamaninii. There was nosignificant increase in cannibalistic behaviourof diet-reared D. tamaninii after 3 and 5days of interaction.These results show that, after fivegenerations, the predation efficiency and thetendency to cannibalism of meat-reared D.tamaninii is similar to that ofconventionally-reared individuals.
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Castañé, C., Iriarte, J. & Lucas, E. Comparison of prey consumption by Dicyphus tamaninii reared conventionally, and on a meat-based diet. BioControl 47, 657–666 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020551100273
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020551100273