Influence of Prey Species and Age of Prey on the Reproductive Performance of a Predatory Stink Bug (Eocanthecona furcellata (Wolff.) (Heteroptera:Asopinae))
The growth and reproductive potential of Eocanthecona furcellata (Wolff.) increased when they fed on mature prey stages, while younger prey stages inhibited egg output and longevity drastically. Among the various prey species, Latoia lepida (Cramer) supported growth and reproduction better than Eupterote mollifera W. and Pericallia ricini F. The differential nutritional quality of larval stages/species exhibited considerable nutritional stress on the generalist predatory stink bug, E. furcellata. The importance of larval nutritional quality in terms of prey age/species for mass culture of predators in biocontrol progrnmrnes is discussed.