Effect of Different Arthropod Prey Species on the Biology of the Predatory Bug, Macrolophus caliginosus Wagner [Hemiptera: Miridae]

Laboratory experiment were done to examine the effect of different arthropod prey on the biology of predatory bug, Macrolophus caliginosus Wagner at 25 o C, 75% r.h. and 16:8 L:D photoperiod. The food eaten by M. caliginosus clearly had a major impact on most parameters of its life cycle. When either greenhouse whiteflies, Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood); eggs of Ephestia kuehniella Zeller, or potato peach aphid, Myzus persicae Sulzer were offered as preys, during development M. caliginosus had high survival percentage (80%, 79% and 64% respectively) and developed more quickly with duration of development of (17.4, 15.6 and 15.7 days respectively) and were able to produce new generations. However, when greenhouse red spider mites, Metatetranyc chus urticae Koch or broad bean aphid, Aphis fabae Scopoli were offered as preys, the predator had high mortality (67% and 50% respectively), longer development, and shorter adult longevity and produced no offspring. The results also showed that M. caliginosus could obtain some nutrients from plants, as 10% of M. caliginosus nymphs survived to the fourth instar when reared on clean leaves of Pelargonium peltatium, although they did not survive to the adult stage