Predatory behaviour of Podisus nigrispinus (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) on different densities of Anticarsia gemmatalis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae |
| |
| Authors: | João AM Ferreira José C Zanuncio Jorge B Torres Adrián J Molina-Rugama |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Department of Animal Biology , Federal University of Vi?osa , Vi?osa, MG, Brazil;2. DEPA – Fitossanidade , Federal University of Pernambuco , Recife, PE, Brazil;3. Federal University of Campina Grande , UFCG – Campus de Agronomia , Pombal, PB, 58840-000, Brazil |
| |
| Abstract: | The functional response of the predatory bug Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) feeding on its prey, Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), was studied in a greenhouse compartment. Each cage enclosed three soybean plants plus two, four, six, eight, 10, 12 or 14 prey larvae. One adult predator was released and kept inside the cages for 24h. The predation rate of adult male P. nigrispinus was highest at densities of eight or more A. gemmatalis larvae with a handling time of 5.76h and an attack rate of 0.68h?1. Adult females had higher predation rates on plants with 10 or more A. gemmatalis larvae, with a handling time of 3.84h and an attack rate of 0.65h?1. The maximum number of larvae consumed by males and females of this predator were 4.1 and 6.0 per day, respectively, in groups of three plants. The results suggest that P. nigrispinus may be used in biological control programmes against A. gemmatalis in soybean fields. |
| |
| Keywords: | biological control predator–prey interaction density dependence functional response Podisus nigrispinus Anticarsia gemmatalis |
|
|
