Entomologia Croatica, Vol. 5 No. 1-2, 2001.
Original scientific paper
A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF FOOD CONSUMPTION, GROWTH AND FECUNDITY OF A REDUVIID PREDATOR IN RELATION TO PREY DENSITY
Kitherian Sahayaraj
; Crop Protection Research Centre, Tamil Nadu, India
Abstract
Nymphal instars and adults of a reduviid Neohaematorrhophus therasii Ambrose and Livingstone were fed with caterpillars of Corcyra cephalonica Stainton in four prey densities (one, two, four and eight caterpillars/day/predator). Developmental period, predatory rate, percentage of survival and adult longevity of predators were negatively affected by prey scarcity. Low prey densities increased the preoviposition period. Fecundity and hatchability were increased as a function of prey density. The total prey consumption rate of both the nymphal instars and adults were minimum and maximum is one and eight prey densities respectively.
Keywords
Heteroptera; Reduviidae; reduviids; predators; natural enemies; Corcyra larvae; biology; bionomics; predatory rate
Hrčak ID:
284071
URI
Publication date:
31.1.2002.
Visits: 325 *