Development of the Predatory Stinkbug Brontocoris tabidus Signoret Heteroptera: Pentatomidae on Different Proportions of an Artificial Diet and Pupae of Tenebrio molitor L. Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae

The development of the Neotropical predatory pentatomid Brontocoris tabidus on an artificial diet based on beef meat and liver was evaluated. The predator showed significantly longer nymphal development and lower adult weights on this diet than when reared on pupae of the mealworm Tenebrio molitor. The survival of nymphs fed exclusively on the artificial diet was somewhat lower compared with feeding on T. molitor pupae. When B. tabidus was bred on this artificial diet during part of its nymphal period i.e. during the second; second and third; and second, third and fourth instars , and was subsequently returned to T. molitor pupae, the predator nymphs completed the nymphal stage with a developmental rate similar to that of nymphs fed on live prey throughout. The adults attained after switching from the artificial diet to live prey from the third and fourth instar onwards had similar weights to those in the control. Considering the relatively good results obtained with B. tabidus and other members of the pentatomid subfamily Asopinae, this meat-based diet may be a valuable alternative for use in the mass production of predatory pentatomids.