A mass rearing program of Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) is under development at the Federal University of Viçosa, MG, Brazil, aiming to release this predaceous insect for the control of caterpillars in Eucalyptus reforestation areas. As the location and acceptance of the artificial diet by P. nigrispinus needs to be improved, we tested the effect of the addition of its synthetic sex pheromone to the diet. We impregnated diets, inside and/or outside, with the complete pheromone blend, with the three main components (a-terpineol, benzyl alcohol, and (E)-2-hexenal), as well as with trans-piperitol, and compared the development of insects fed on artificial and natural (Musca domestica L. alive larvae) diets. Attraction of second instar nymphs of P. nigrispinus to artificial diets was enhanced by the addition of the sex pheromone blend compared with the plain diet, both after five and 120 min on the diet. However, none of the pheromone added diets were as attractive to P. nigrispinus as the housefly larvae diet. Increase in weight was greater for nymphs fed on diet with the three major components of the pheromone, as well as with trans-piperitol or housefly larvae diet, and they averaged 1.40, 1.35 and 1.30 mg, respectively. On the other hand, plain diet and diet with the addition of the whole pheromone blend showed the smallest increase in nymph weight (0.37 and 0.6 mg, respectively). The results also demonstrated that sex pheromone of P. nigrispinus can improve feeding stimulation on nymphs, proven to be of some value in the location process of artificial food by the species.
Insecta; predatory bug; feeding stimulation
