The predatory capacity of Euborellia annulipes on Spodoptera frugiperda was studied in a laboratory setting. The study was conducted in the Laboratory of Entomology of the Division of Plant Protection, Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB) at a temperature of 25 ± 1ºC, relative humidity of 70 + 10% and a 12-hour photophase. The study detected growing egg intake, with an average daily consumption of 11.06, 49.02, 122.7, 148.09 and 374.9 eggs, from the first to the fifth instars, respectively. A predatory capacity of fist-instar larvae of S. frugiperda increased in line with its development, with an increase of approximately 14.3 times from the first to the fifth instar, in the 10 days of consumption, whereas the fourth and fifth instars presented an average daily consumption of 25.5 and 26.6, respectively - higher as compared to other instars. The greatest consumption of second-instar larvae by the predator took place in the fourth and fifth instars, which featured an average daily consumption of 12.8 and 15.1, respectively. It appears that E. annulipes is a potential predator of eggs and larvae of S. frugiperda, with an adult consuming 1,481.2; 89.20 and 48.6 eggs and larvae of first- and second-instars, respectively, during the ten days of monitored consumption.
ring-legged earwig; biological control; corn caterpillar; predation
