Abigaile Mia V.

Javier ENT 272 T-1L

July 1, 2011 Dr. Pio A. Javier

BIOLOGY, MASS REARING AND HOST RANGE OF PREDATORY STINK BUG, ANDRALLUS SPINIDENS FABRICIUS (HEMPITERA: PENTATOMIDAE)

BIOLOGY Taxonomy Andrallus spinidens was discovered in 1787 by Fabricius and was placed into synonym with Andrallus aculeata Ettenrieder and Audinetia arculeata Ettenrieder in 1862. A. spinidens is a non-specific predator of lepidopterous larvae mainly seen in rice fields (Thomas, 1994). Description The adult is brown. Its scutellum is darker brown with yellow apical. Its hemelytra is dark brown, with submarginal yellowish stripes running along entire length. The rostrum crassate reaches metacoxae. Its juga and tylus are subequal in length. The anterolateral prothoracic margin is thick and rugulose. The humeral angles of its pronotum laterally produced into a bidentate, spinose projection. The posterior angles of pronotum has no hook or tooth. The males with a pair of glandular pubescent patches on ventral side of abdomen compared with the female (Pawar, 1976). Life stages Egg Stage Eggs were attached and laid randomly on all the side of cages or petri dishes. Eggs are shaped irregular or elongated. The number of eggs per mass ranged from 7 to 96 with an average of 50 for 20 masses. Incubation of the egg lasted for 7 days (Table 1). When laid, eggs are creamy white. As the eggs were nearly ready to hatch, they become increasingly reddish.

Nymphal Stage The nymphal stage has five instars. The nymphal development has an average of 19.0 days. The gregarious behavior of the younger instars appeared to play an important part in feeding. The first instar nymphs were gregarious and tend to congregate on the eggs. There is no feeding observed in the first instar but water is taken readily from damp cotton. The second to fifth instars feed on a variety of lepidopteran larvae. After molting, second to fifth instar nymphs feed almost continually until few hours before the next molt. As they molt to the next instar, nymphs become aggressive predators, attacking almost any size larvae. The second to third instar nymphs are with gregarious behavior while fourth to fifth instar nymphs are mostly solitary, with the solitary behaviour most strongly expressed in the fifth instar. Sometimes all stages are found feeding together (Table 1 and Figure 1) (Manley, 1982). Table 1. Developmental period (days) of Andrallus spinidens Stage Eggs First nymphal instar Second nymphal instar Third nymphal instar Fourth nymphal instar Fifth nymphal instar Range (days) 7 2-3 4 3-4 3-5 4-8 Mean (days) 7 2.6 4 3.4 3.6 5.4

Figure 1. Andrallus spinidens. A. Lateral view of egg; B. first instar; C. second instar; D. third instar; E. fourth instar; F. fifth instar; G. adult.

Behavior Frequently, the younger nymphs are observed feeding on larvae abandoned by older nymphs or adults. Both hunting and feeding may take place s a group. If one or two younger instar pentatomid nymphs were unable to subdue a larva, the entire group will help to attack and kill even the very large larvae (Manley, 1982). A. spinidens use poison to kill its prey. The time required for the pentatomids about 1-4 minutes for successful attack. Larvae which were successful in escaping early attacks from predators are greatly weakened and usually unable to resist later attacks. Larvae which were able to escape the first few attacks would show a general weakening over time, loss of coordination and shaking (Oetting, 1971).

Succesful predation and survival Andrallus spinidens is an impressive predator stink bug capable of attacking and killing large larvae of lepidopterans by sucking the juices from the larvas body (Fig. 2). There are three factors which favor predation of A. spinidens. First is that A. spinidens has relatively short life cycle. Second is its aggressive feeding behavior. Lastly, it has the ability to feed continually for several hours. Among other pentatomids, A. spinidens have these three behavior characteristic which contribute for the survival of the younger instar. First is that, it is a gregarious feeder. Second is that when the population of A. spinidens is mixed-aged groups, they allow the young instars to feed on the prey of the larger nymphs. And lastly is the apparent attraction of nymphs on a fresh killed larva by other nymphs (Rajandra et al., 1971). Observations of field population along with laboratory studies indicate that A. spinidens is of major usefulness in connection with outbreak or moderate to high density conditions of lepidopterans, where its short life cycle and continuous feeding ability should operate to make it useful control agent.

Figure 2. Andrallus spinidens sucking the body of Spodoptera exigua larva.

(1) MASS REARING BY MANLEY (1982) Populations of Andrallus spinidens were collected in the rice field and placed in a rearing cage with larvae of lepidopterans with cotton soaked in 10% honey solution. Female pentatomids previously exposed in the males were placed in individual petri dishes for egg collection. After eggs were laid, the females were separated from the eggs. Adults and nymphs were fed moth larvae of various lepidopteran species (e.g. Chilo suppressalis, Spodoptera litura or Mythimna separata). Living larvae will be given to each pentatomid daily.

First instar nymphs were given damp cotton and left in the container with the eggs until they molt. After molting, they were moved to individual dishes and reared to adults (Manley, 1982). (2) MASS REARING BY MOHAGHEGH and MAAFI (2007) A colony of A. spinidens were established with about 70 adults collected from harvested rice fields. The predator were reared on late instars of G. mellonella as prey, and provided with wet cotton plugs fitted into small plastic dishes (2.5 cm diameter) as moisture sources. Fifty (25 females and 25 males) adults were placed in a 26 cm x 19 cm x 7.5 cm plastic box. About 1,000 eggs were placed in a Plexiglas container (13.5 cm x 19.5 cm x 6.5 cm) covered with a metalscreened lid. As first instar nymphs do not eat prey, prey were given to second instar nymphs. Second and third instars were housed in groups of about 400 and 200 nymphs, respectively, in Plexiglas containers. Fourth and fifth instars were moved to plastic boxes in approximate groups of 200 and 100 individuals, respectively. All containers were covered with mesh screen lids, supplied with excess prey and water, and furnished with several paper towels, which provide hiding places, oviposition sites and absorb excreta of the predator. The containers were cleaned and predators were provided with new prey and water every day or as needed. To keep the predator colony at an acceptable quality level, some wild individuals were added, and the total population of the bugs were maintained at 50 adults for each generation.

HOST RANGE Andrallus spinidens is abundant predator in rice fields associated with outbreaks of lepidopteran larvae such as stem borers (Chilo suppressalis, Scirpophaga incertulas) and Melanitis leda (Manley, 1982). Other larvae of lepiodopterans such as Naranga aenescens, Helicoverpa armigera, Spodoptera litura, S. frugiperda, S. exigua , Mythimna separata, Galleria mellonella and Ephestia kuehniella are attacked by both nymphs and adults of the predator in rice, maize and soybean fields. It attacks non-specific larva that it sees in the field. Since natural populations of A. spinidens are drastically hampered by chemical treatments, agricultural practices should be

oriented towards conservation of this beneficial insect. The predator can also be a promising biocontrol agent against defoliator caterpillars in greenhouses (Mohaghegh, 2003; Mohaghegh and Maafi 2007).

LITERATURE CITED MANLEY, G.V. 1982. Biology and life history of the rice field predator Andrallus spinidens F. (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Ent. News. 93:19-24. MOHAGHEGH, J. 2003. The predatory stinkbug, Andrallus spinidens (F.): its occurrence, rearing and potential in Iran. Global IOBC Bull. 2: 36. MOHAGHEGH, J. and M.A. MAAFI. 2007. Reproduction of the predatory stinkbug Andrallus spinidens (F.) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) on live and frozen prey. Appl. Entomol. Zool. 42 (1): 1520 OETTING, R.K. and T.R. YONKE. 1971. Immature stages and biology of Podisus placidus and Stiretrus fimbriatus (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Can. Ent. 103: 1505-1516. PAWAR, A. D. 1976. Andrallus spinidens (Fabricius) (Asopinae: Pentatomidae: Hemiptera) as a predator of insect pests of rice in Himachal Pradesh, India. Rice Entomologists Newsletter 4: 23-24. RAJANDRA, M.K. and R.C. PATEL. 1971. Studies on the life history of a predatory bug, Andrallus spinidens (Fabr.). J. Bom. Nat. Hist. Soc. 68 (2): 15-18. THOMAS, D. B. 1994. Taxonomic synopsis of the Old World asopine genera (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). Insecta Mundi 8: 145212.