Development of a mass rearing technique for the flower bug, Orius tantillus (Motschulsky) (Anthocoridae: Hemiptera)

Abstract

Attempts to develop methods to mass produce the flower or anthocorid bug, Orius tantillus (Motschulsky), and a new unnatural host, the flour mite, Suidasia pontifica Oudemans, under artificial conditions are presented. Three types of food were evaluated: 1) an artificial diet of diluted condensed milk, 2) its natural prey, Thrips palmi Karny, and 3) unnatural hosts, namely, eggs of the house fly, Musca domestica L., eggs of the rice bran moth, Corcyra cephalonica Stn., and the flour mite, Suidasia pontifica Oudemans. S. pontifica was successfully mass produced in a medium of 1 part yeast and 3 parts flour. A population density of about 50,000-70,000 mites was obtained in a month and the culture had a slow deterioration rate. Mass rearing on diluted milk diet and on eggs of the house fly was not successful. The development, longevity, fecundity, and survival of O. tantillus on S. pontifica and C. cephalonica were comparable to those obtained on T. palmi. The latter prey, however, is not as convenient to mass produce under artificial conditions as the first 2 unnatural hosts. Between the 2 unnatural hosts, S. pontifica proved to be a far superior prey in the mass production of the anthocorid bug.

Source or Periodical Title

Philippine Agricultural Scientist

ISSN

317454

Page

67-76

Document Type

Article

Subject

Corcyra cephalonica Stn, Mass production methods, Orius tantillus (Motsch.), Suidasia pontifica Oudemans, Thrips palmi Karny

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS