The temperature strongly influences the development time of insects and the understanding of this aspect for natural enemies is essential for its use as biocontrol agents and for mass rearing purpose. The objective of this work was evaluating the effect of different temperatures on the development time of Orius insidiosus (Say, 1832) as well as its thermal requirements. The trials were conducted in climatic chamber at 16, 19, 22, 25, 28 and 31 ±1°C; RH 70±10% and photophase 12h. Eggs of Anagasta kuehniella (Zeller, 1879) were provided as food. The embryonic period was 14.0, 8.9, 6.6, 4.8, 3.9 and 3.3 days at 16, 19, 22, 25, 28 and 31°C, respectively. Nymphs of all instars (independent of originated sex) were affected by the temperature on their development time; there was a reduction of this period with the increase of the temperature. Males and females presented a development time about 12 days at 25°C. The developmental thresholds (To) for egg stage was estimated at 11.78°C, and for the nymphal phase were 12.27°C and 13.03°C for males and females, respectively. The thermal constants (K) for egg stage (63.75 day-degrees) and for nymphal stage were 161.97 and 157.24 day-degrees, for males and females, respectively. The temperature of 25°C was the most suitable for development time of O. insidiosus.
Biological control; Orius spp.; predator; temperature
