Toxicity of three acaricides to Tetranychus urticae (Tetranychidae: Acari) and Orius insidiosus (Anthocoridae: Hemiptera)

Management for twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, populations in peanut, Arachis hypogaea L., relies on acaricides. The outcomes of acaricide applications are most predictable when complete information on their toxicity and specificity is available. Specifically, the degrees to which acaricides impact different stages of T. urticae and natural enemies combined determine the overall efficacy of an acaricide application. The objectives of this study were to determine stage-specific direct and residual efficacies of three acaricides (fenpropathrin, etoxazole, and propargite) against T. urticae, and the direct and residual toxicity of the acaricides to Orius insidiosus (Say) adults. Direct toxicity of acaricides to T. urticae was measured on peanut cuttings. All acaricide treatments caused significant mortality to a mixed stage population of T. urticae, and mortality did not differ among the acaricides 7 d after treatment. When toxicity to eggs was tested, the proportion of eggs that hatched for all acaricide treatments was significantly lower than the control, with etoxazole and propargite causing 100% mortality. Exposure to acaricide residues caused < 30% mortality of T. urticae adults 1 and 2 d after treatment and was not significantly different from the control. Fenpropathrin and propargite caused 100% mortality and etoxazole caused > 50% mortality of O. insidious adults after direct exposure to the acaricides. Residual toxicity of acaricides to O. insidiosus adults varied but remained toxic to O. insidiosus longer than to T. urticae. Fenpropathrin had the longest residual effect on O. insidiosus adults, causing > 95% mortality after 14 d; etoxazole and propargite caused < 30% mortality after 14 d.     

Effect of different diets on reproduction,longevity and predation capacity of Orius insidiosus (Say) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae)

Orius insidiosus is a generalist predator for which diet influences important biological traits like reproduction and predation. We tested the effects of different diets alone or in combination on reproduction, longevity and predation capacity of this predator. The diets tested were: no food (control); pollen; Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) nymphs and adults; F. occidentalis nymphs and adults and pollen; Anagasta kuehniella (Zeller) eggs; A. kuehniella eggs and pollen; A. kuehniella eggs; F. occidentalis nymphs and adults and A. kuehniella eggs, F. occidentalis nymphs and adults and pollen. The pre-oviposition period was shortest when the diet consisted of pollen and prey (A. kuehniella and/or F. occidentalis), of the two prey species together or of only A. kuehniella eggs. The highest values for the length of the oviposition period (50.1, 48.0, 46.3 and 46.1 days), daily fecundity (3.8, 3.9, 4.0 and 4.2 eggs/female/day), total fecundity (190.3, 187.7 185.2 and 193.6 eggs/female) and longevity (52.1, 49.9, 48.7 and 48.0 days) were found with diets consisting of only A. kuehniella eggs. Pollen did not improve any of the performance parameters of the predator when offered exclusively or as a complementary food. The results show that selection of a proper diet can strongly improve reproduction, longevity and predation capacity of O. insidiosus. An important finding is that A. kuehniella eggs, which can easily be produced in large quantities, are an excellent factitious prey for mass production of O. insidiosus.     

Toxicity of pesticides used in chrysanthemum crops to eggs and nymphs of Orius insidiosus (Say) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of some pesticides used in chrysanthemum crops to eggs and nymphs of Orius insidiosus (Say). The bioassays were carried out at 25 +/- 2 degrees C, 70 +/- 10% RH and 12h photophase. For the tests with eggs, stems of Bidens pilosa L. previously exposed to predator oviposition were dipped for five seconds in aqueous dilution of the pesticides, using 40 eggs per treatment. The pesticides were applied on nymphs using a Potter's tower. Forty first-instar and twenty second-instar nymphs of O. insidiosus were used per treatment in the tests with nymphs. The adults from eggs and nymphs treated were grouped in couples to study the pesticides effects on its reproductive parameters. None tested pesticide affected the viability of treated eggs. Azoxystrobin, benomyl, imibenconazole, iprodione, metalaxyl + mancozeb and triforine were harmless to first- and second-instar nymphs of O. insidiosus, whereas abamectin, acephate and chlorfenapyr were shown to be harmful to nymphs of both first and second instars. The pre-oviposition period, the daily number of eggs, number of eggs in ten days, and egg viability were not affected by azoxystrobin, benomyl, imibenconazole, iprodione, metalaxyl + mancozeb and triforine. These pesticides, for showing low toxicity to the predator, can be recommended in disease management programs for chrysanthemum crops, in association with O. insidiosus.     

Effect of insecticides used in corn, sorghum, and alfalfa on the predator Orius insidiosus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae).

Orius insidoisus (Say) is an important predator in corn, sorghum, and alfalfa. Foliar insecticides commonly used on corn (permethrin, bifenthrin, and fipronil); sorghum (chlorpyrifos, carbofuran, dimethoate, and cyfluthrin); and both crops (A-cyhalothrin and ethyl parathion) were evaluated in 1998 and 1999 for their residual effects on O. insidiosus by caging adults on treated plants at several time intervals: at application (day 0) and 2, 3, and 6 d after application. In addition, imidacloprid, fipronil, and thiamethoxam used as seed treatments on corn and sorghum were tested for their effects on O. insidiosus by caging adults on plants in the presence and absence of greenbugs, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani). Finally, six of the same insecticides that also are used on alfalfa were evaluated in the field for their effects on O. insidiosus and other insects. On day 0, ethyl parathion. bifenthrin, and [lambda]-cyhalothrin on corn caused significantly higher mortality to O. insidiosus than permethrin and fipronil. Ethyl parathion and carbofuran on sorghum caused significantly higher mortality than chlorpyrifos, dimethoate, and A-cyhalothrin, which differed significantly from the control. Mortality with cyfluthrin did not differ significantly from that in the control. Insecticides had no significant effects on O. insidiosus 3 and 6 d after application in 1998 with the exception of permethrin on day 3. Similar patterns of mortality were observed in 1999 experiments. No significant differences in mortality of adults occurred with fipronil and thiamethoxam in the presence and absence of greenbugs. Imidachloprid caused significantly higher mortality to O. insidiosus adults than thiamethoxam or fipronil in some instances when greenbugs were not supplied as food. In alfalfa, the insecticides caused significant mortality to most of the insects evaluated. Ethyl parathion, permethrin, chlorpyrifos, and cyfluthrin caused significantly higher mortality to O. insidiosus than carbofuran and A-cyhalothrin, which differed significantly from the control in 1998. In 1999, all treatments significantly reduced O. insidiosus numbers and did not differ significantly from each other.     

Pollen increases fitness and abundance of Orius insidiosus Say (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) on banker plants

Banker plants are intended to enhance biological control by sustaining populations of natural enemies. Banker plants do this by providing alternative sources of food for natural enemies, such as pollen for omnivorous predators, thus decreasing the likelihood of their starvation and emigration from a cropping system when pest populations are low or absent. A banker plant system consisting of the Black Pearl pepper, Capsicum annuum ‘Black Pearl’, and the omnivorous minute pirate bug, Orius insidiosus Say (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) has recently been proposed to improve biological control of thrips. Therefore, we studied how pollen from the Black Pearl pepper plant affects O. insidiosus fitness and abundance through a series of laboratory and greenhouse experiments. We found that a mixed diet of pollen and thrips increased O. insidiosus female longevity, decreased nymphal development time, and yielded larger females compared to a diet of thrips alone. Furthermore, O. insidiosus abundance was greater on flowering pepper plants than non-flowering pepper plants. From these results, we suggest that pollen from Black Pearl pepper banker plants could increase adult O. insidiosus abundance for the purpose of biological control in two ways: (1) reduce starvation and increase longevity of O. insidiosus when prey is absent; (2) enhance O. insidiosus fitness and fecundity when prey is present by mixing plant and prey diets. These results encourage future studies with the Black Pearl pepper as a banker plant for improving biological control of thrips in commercial greenhouses.     

Influence of photoperiod on Orius thyestes Herring (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) reproduction and longevity

Several species of Orius Wolff are used in biological control of thrips in protected cultivations in temperate regions, but some of them show reproductive diapause, compromising the efficiency of these agents of biological control. There are no reports on the biology of the neotropical species Orius thyestes Herring under different environmental conditions. The purpose of this work was to investigate the influence of photoperiod on reproduction and longevity of this predator. Nymphs were kept in petri dishes in climatic chambers at 28+/-1 degree C, 70+/-10% RH and under the photoperiods of 12L:12D, 11L:13D, 10 L:14D e 09L:15D. The mating adults were kept in petri dishes with Bidens pilosa L. Asteraceae inflorescences as oviposition substracts and eggs of Anagasta kuehniella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) as food. The pre-oviposition and oviposition periods, fecundity and longevity were evaluated and O. thyestes did not show reprodutive diapause in all photoperiod conditions established. The mean number of eggs obtained per female decreased with the reduction of the photophase, with a difference (P < 0.05) between the values obtained in 12h and 9h of photophase. Longevity of females and males under 9h photophase was shorter (P < 0.05) than in all other photoperiods tested. The knowledge of the biology of the natural enemy under different conditions allows to optimise the mass rearing and to predict the performance of the predator in different photoperiods which may occur along the year and in greenhouses.     

温度对微小花蝽生长发育和繁殖的影响

【目的】明确温度对微小花蝽Orius minutus生长发育和繁殖的影响。【方法】本研究以腐食酪螨Tyrophagus putresceniae为猎物,分别在5个恒温(15,20,25,30和35℃)条件下室内饲养,调查了温度对微小花蝽各虫态发育历期、存活率、成虫繁殖力以及种群参数的影响。【结果】在15~35℃范围内,各虫态平均发育历期均随温度升高而缩短,15℃下完成一个世代发育需要52.45 d,而35℃下仅需14.85 d。直线回归分析表明,微小花蝽世代发育起点温度为8.89℃,有效积温为359.20日·度。世代存活率和单雌平均产卵量均在25℃时最高,分别为17.07%和41.00粒。种群趋势指数在15℃和35℃下小于1,种群呈负增长;20~30℃下大于1,且25℃时最高,为3.92。净增殖率、内禀增长率和周限增长率均在25℃时最高,分别为3.32,0.04和1.04;种群世代周期以15℃时最长,为57.76 d,35℃时最短,为17.50 d。【结论】取食腐食酪螨的微小花蝽发育适宜温度范围为25~35℃,存活、繁殖和种群增长的最适温度均为25℃。这些结果为利用腐食酪螨人工饲养微小花蝽提供了基础参考数据。     

Lethal and sublethal effects of a neem-based insecticide on balsam fir sawfly (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae)

Lethal and sublethal effects of Neemix 4.5 EC, a commercial neem preparation, on balsam fir sawfly, Neodiprion abietis (Harris), were determined in the laboratory. Larval mortality of N. abietis increased in a concentration-dependent manner, and lethal time decreased with increasing Neemix 4.5 EC concentration. Fifty percent of the larvae died after 4.6 d at a concentration of 90 ppm azadirachtin (AZA) and 12.3 d at a concentration of 0.08 ppm. Neemix 4.5 EC showed some deterrent effects to feeding site selection on N. abietis larvae at high concentrations, but not at low concentrations. Strong reduction of food intake by N. abietis larvae after exposure to Neemix 4.5 EC was demonstrated by significant reduction of frass production. Larvae fed on Neemix 4.5 EC-treated foliage at 90 ppm AZA produced only 16% as much frass as that produced by larvae fed on control foliage (0 ppm). Neemix 4.5 EC at a concentration of 0.08 ppm AZA retarded larval and pupal development. Sublethal doses significantly reduced pupal weight and adult emergence, although the sex ratio of N. abietis adults was not affected. Results indicate that sublethal effects of Neemix 4.5 EC on N. abietis may contribute greatly to the overall field efficacy.     

东亚小花蝽人工饲料微胶囊剂型的研制及饲养效果评价

通过正交试验对东亚小花蝽Orius sauteri人工饲料微胶囊进行了配方优化研究, 明确了海藻酸钠及壳聚糖的填充比例和芯壁比例在微胶囊产率、包埋率和含水率等方面的影响。各配方因素对产率的影响程度依次为: 芯壁比 > 海藻酸钠填充比 > 壳聚糖填充比; 而各因素对包埋率的影响程度依次为: 壳聚糖填充比 > 海藻酸钠填充比 > 芯壁比; 含水率受海藻酸钠填充比影响最大, 而后依次为壳聚糖填充比和芯壁比; 在海藻酸钠填充比为2.0%、壳聚糖填充比为0.6%及芯壁比为1∶3时, 所得人工饲料微胶囊感官评定得分最高。以包埋率作为基准考量下, 取最佳配比为海藻酸钠填充比为1.0%, 壳聚糖填充比为0.8%, 芯壁比为1∶1的配方, 制作人工饲料微胶囊饲喂东亚小花蝽, 与取食朱砂叶螨Tetranychus cinnabarinus组为对照, 进行了饲喂效果试验。结果表明: 与对照组相比, 取食人工饲料微胶囊后, 东亚小花蝽1、 2龄若虫发育历期显著延长, 雌成虫寿命显著缩短; 羽化率和产卵前期差异不显著, 但产卵期、产卵量和卵孵化率显著降低。此外, 取食人工饲料微胶囊的东亚小花蝽成虫呼吸墒显著低于对照, 运动速率则显著高于对照。     

Effect of buprofezin on survival of immature stages of Harmonia axyridis, Stethorus punctum picipes (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Orius tristicolor (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), and Geocoris spp. (Hemiptera: Geocoridae)

The effect of buprofezin, a chitin synthesis inhibitor, on development and survival of immature stages of Harmonia axyridis (Pallas), Stethortus punctum picipes Casey, Orius tristicolor (White), Geocoris pallens St?l, and Geocoris punctipes (Say), was examined in a series of laboratory bioassays. Very few H. axyridis larvae (3.1%) treated with buprofezin reached adulthood, although 65% of treated pupae emerged successfully. Buprofezin caused no mortality to eggs of S. punctum picipes but 71.1% of treated early instar larvae failed to complete development. Eighty percent of treated late instars and 92.3% of pupae produced viable adults. Early instar nymphs of O. tristicolor were unaffected by buprofezin, whereas 47.7 and 85% of G. punctipes and G. pallens nymphs, respectively, failed to complete development. Treated eggs of G. pallens hatched successfully. The use of buprofezin in integrated pest management in Washington state wine grapes is discussed.     

Yolk protein immunoassays (YP-ELISA) to assess diet and reproductive quality of mass-reared Orius insidiosus (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae)

A yolk protein enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (YP-ELISA) was developed for the predator Orius insidiosus (Say). The YP-ELISA is intended to assess reproductive response to dietary and other rearing conditions, and to assist in quality control and diet development for mass rearing. Hybridomas and monoclonal antibodies were produced against homogenates of eggs dissected from females. Hybridomas were selected for secretion of IgG that reacted with extracts of both females and their eggs, and that did not react with male extracts. Each cloned hybridoma produced a monoclonal antibody that specifically reacted on western blots against one of the two major yolk polypeptides, apoVn-I (180,000 molecular weight) or apoVn-II (40,000). Yolk protein ELISAs were developed with these antibodies to assess yolk protein content of female O. insidiosus as a measure of reproductive fitness and as a potential predictor of fecundity. Protocols for an indirect antigen ELISA and double antibody sandwich ELISA were developed to assess yolk protein contents of eggs and total contents in whole body homogenates. ELISA standards consisted of homogenates of eggs collected 0-24 h following oviposition. As determined with the sandwich ELISA, yolk protein contents of eggs declined with age before hatch, with a half-life of 32-34 h. Results were similar whether the detecting antibody-enzyme conjugate was anti-apoVn-I or anti-apoVn-II. Optimal conditions and sampling parameters were developed for the sandwich ELISA, which demonstrated minimal nonspecific interference in whole-insect extracts. In an initial application of the YP-ELISA, oviposition rates over a 10-d period were compared with yolk protein contents at the end of that period, dependent on diets of differing nutritional composition and quality. High and low yolk protein contents correlated with oviposition rates on respective diets, though oviposition showed more graded response to diets than did yolk protein. Improvements in sampling methods are discussed.     

小花蝽属两种核型的研究(半翅目: 花蝽科)

本文利用姬姆萨染色空气干燥压片方法,对花蝽科小花蝽属中国2种小花蝽的性细胞核型进行了研究.研究结果表明该2种小花蝽的2倍体均具有24条染色体和X-Y性别机制,但2种间在染色体行为特征方面具有差别,主要表现在细胞减数分裂的晚终变期和中期常染色体以及性染色体的排列形状与位置等方面,该特征可以用于种间的细胞分类.     

Acceptance and suitability of four plant substrates for rearing Orius sauteri (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae)

Orius sauteri (Poppius) is an important hemipterous predator that has been mass-reared for biological control of numerous pests in protected crop-production systems. To find a good oviposition substrate for mass-rearing this predator under insectary conditions [25°C, 65 ± 5% relative humidity, and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L:D) h], we compared kidney bean, soybean, broad bean sprouts and fresh leaves of kidney bean. We found that O. sauteri made more punctures and laid more eggs in kidney bean sprouts than in the other substrates examined. However, there were no significant differences among substrates in the proportion of punctures receiving eggs. Female O. sauteri laid the most eggs (as many as 68 eggs) in kidney bean sprouts and also had the shortest pre-oviposition period on this plant material. In addition, there were no significant differences in total oviposition durations or female longevity among the four plant substrates. The hatch rates of nymphs in the sprouts and leaves of kidney bean (>90%) were higher than those in soybean and broad bean sprouts. Thus, we found that the kidney bean sprout was the most suitable substrate for mass-rearing of O. sauteri.     

南方小花蝽液体人工饲料的饲养效果评价

为评价一种液体人工饲料的饲养效果,以棉蚜饲养南方小花蝽作对照,用液体人工饲料连续两代饲养南方小花蝽若虫和成虫,对南方小花蝽各生长阶段的生长和发育指标进行调查。结果显示：用人工饲料饲养的南方小花蝽若虫历期（22～23天）与对照组（21天）之间不存在显著差异,说明液体人工饲料可以很好的满足南方小花蝽若虫生长的营养要求。然而,用棉蚜饲养的对照组南方小花蝽成虫获得率可达到63%,而人工饲料组连续两代的成虫获得率分别仅为45% 和43%。取食人工饲料的南方小花蝽成虫,在产卵前期、产卵量及寿命方面与对照组都没有显著差异,仅在产卵期方面有着显著差异,人工饲料组小花蝽的产卵期为13～16天,而对照组小花蝽的产卵期可达20天,说明液体人工饲料也可以很好的满足南方小花蝽成虫生殖发育的营养要求。     

Overwintering Biology of the Predatory Bug Orius albidipennis (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) in Israel

The predatory bug Orius albidipennis (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) overwinters in Israel as adults. Oviposition continues irrespective of day length, but stops almost completely when the mean temperature drops below 15 C (beginning in December). During winter months, the outdoor females enter reproductive diapause, and resume oviposition in during March and April. All first instar nymphs die at low temperatures, whereas approximately 20% of the nymphs of later instars may survive and mature. Dense populations of the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis, develop outdoors in Israel about a month before the peak in population of O. albidipennis, and have the opportunity to cause much damage. Since the Israeli O. albidipennis does not enter diapause under short day photophase, it might be an efficient predator of F. occidentalis in greenhouses in countries of northern latitude.     

Developmental and reproductive fitness of Orius laevigatus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) reared on factitious and artificial diets

The developmental and reproductive fitness of the polyphagous predator Orius laevigatus (Fieber) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) was compared on two factitious foods and four artificial diets. Adults fed factitious foods (Ephestia kuehniella Zeller eggs and Artemia franciscana Kellogg cysts) performed better than those fed artificial diets. Among the artificial diets, a diet composed of liver and ground beef scored better than meridic diets based on egg yolk. Within the egg yolk-based artificial diets, the developmental fitness varied proportionally with the amount of egg yolk present in the diet. A food switching experiment, in which nymphs and adults of the predator were fed either E. kuehniella eggs or an egg yolk-based artificial diet, showed that the impact of adult food on reproductive capacity was greater than that of nymphal food. An optimal adult food was able to wholly compensate for deficiencies incurred by an inferior artificial diet in the nymphal stage. A strong correlation was found between oocyte counts, lifetime oviposition, and the number of eggs laid after 8 d. A rapid dissection assay may thus be effective to reliably and economically assess the fitness of O. laevigatus as a function of the diet. This method also may prove useful as part of quality assurance procedure for commercially produced predators.     

Effects of founder population size on the performance of Orius laevigatus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) colonies

Orius laevigatus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) is a key predator of thrips and is mass reared in large numbers for use in biological control. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of founder population size on the biological and behavioral performance of O. laevigatus over time. Laboratory lines were started from 1, 10 and 50 founder couples from 750 adults collected in the field and their performance was evaluated at the 5th–6th and 10th–11th generations. Adaptation to the captive rearing situation occurred in the 10 and 50 founder couples lines while it failed in the 1 founder couple line. The intrinsic rate of natural increase (r_m) increased and the period for doubling the population (D) decreased over the generations in the 10 and 50 founder couples lines, while (r_m) decreased and (D) increase in the 1 founder couple line. Also, consumption of Frankliniella occidentalis prey was significantly lower for females from the 1 founder couple line at the 5th generation compared to females from the 10 and 50 founder couples lines. Females of laboratory lines of all founder couples did not respond to odours from thrips infested plants during the 5th and 10th generations, whereas wild females strongly reacted to these odours. We suggest that the lack of reaction to infested plant volatiles may be due to the artificial rearing method where mass reared predators do not experience an infested crop. The results showed that the 1 founder couple line differed from the 10 and 50 founder couples lines, suggesting that bottlenecking had an effect at that level. However, no difference was found between the 10 and 50 founder couples lines which suggest that these founder numbers can be used to start laboratory-reared O. laevigatus lines without a significant loss in quality of its relevant biological characteristics.     

Superinfection of cytoplasmic incompatibility-inducing Wolbachia is not additive in Orius strigicollis (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae)

Cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) allows the intracellular, maternally inherited bacterial symbiont Wolbachia to invade arthropod host populations by inducing infertility in crosses between infected males and uninfected females. The general pattern is consistent with a model of sperm modification, rescued only by egg cytoplasm infected with the same strain of symbiont. The predacious flower bug Orius strigicollis is superinfected with two strains of Wolbachia, wOus1 and wOus2. Typically, superinfections of CI Wolbachia are additive in their effects; superinfected males are incompatible with uninfected and singly infected females. In this study, we created an uninfected line, and lines singly infected with wOus1 and wOus2 by antibiotic treatment. Then, all possible crosses were conducted among the four lines. The results indicated that while wOus2 induces high levels of CI, wOus1 induces very weak or no CI, but can rescue CI caused by wOus2 to a limited extent. Levels of incompatibility in crosses with superinfected males did not show the expected pattern. In particular, superinfected males caused extremely weak CI when mated with either singly infected or uninfected females. An analysis of symbiont densities showed that wOus1 densities were significantly higher than wOus2 densities in superinfected males, and wOus2 densities were lower, but not significantly, in superinfected relative to singly infected males. These data lend qualified support for the hypothesis that wOus1 interferes with the ability of wOus2 to cause CI by suppressing wOus2 densities. To our knowledge, this is the first clear case of non-additive CI in a natural superinfection.     

三种小花蝽核型研究(半翅目:花蝽科)

本文利用姬姆萨染色压片法对花蝽科小花蝽属3个种:荷氏小花蝽Orius horvathi(Reuter),微小花蝽Oriusminutus Linnaeus和东亚小花蝽Orius sauteri(Poppius)的核型做了研究,结果表明3种小花蝽单倍体均具有12条染色体,X-Y性别决定机制,但3种核型行为具特定的差异,其核型特征可用于种间分类。     

南方小花蝽对不同猎物捕食作用及利用效率

室内用棉蚜,花蓟马及棉花花粉饲养南方小花蝽,通过对南方小花蝽捕食两种猎物及取食棉花花粉后的体重的增长以及同时段内对棉蚜,花蓟马及棉花花粉减少的量的测定,得到南方小花蝽取食不同食物后的生长速率及其对食物的利用效率,同时还研究了南方小花蝽成虫和若虫对混合猎物（棉蚜,棉铃虫卵,红铃虫卵）中各猎物的捕食作用及其在多猎物（红铃虫卵,棉叶螨成螨,花蓟马若虫）不同密度水平下的捕食效应。结果表明,棉蚜与花蓟马可以较好地满足南方小花蝽正常生长发育所需的营养,南方小花蝽对两种猎物的利用效率显著高于棉花花粉,在混合猎物中南方小花蝽成虫和若虫均嗜食棉蚜,其次为红铃虫卵和棉铃虫卵;对于同一种猎物,南方小花蝽成虫和若虫在高密度下的日平均捕食量均显著高于低猎物密度下的日平均捕食量,而对于同一密度的不同猎物,南方小花蝽在低猎物密度时对供试的3种猎物无明显的选择性,在中,高密度时对供试的3种猎物则表现出明显的嗜食性差异。其嗜好程度依次为红铃虫卵,花蓟马若虫,棉叶螨成螨,通过研究有助于更好地了解与掌握南方小花蝽对不同食物的需求及其在田间的食物转换规律,从而更好地进行南方小花蝽的室内人工大量饲养,使南方小花蝽更好地成为棉田害虫种群综合治理中的重要组成部分并发挥其应有的作用。