Females of O. insidiosus deposit their eggs in the plant tissue. This study aimed to evaluate oviposition substrates for this predator. The study was conducted in an air-conditioned room at 25 ± 2ºC, 70 ± 10% RH, and a 12 h photophase. The oviposition substrates used consisted of bean sprouts (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), soybean sprouts [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], potato sprouts (Solanum tuberosum L.), bean pods (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), and farmer's friend inflorescences (Bidens pilosa L.). Evaluations included the daily mean and total numbers of eggs per female during a 15-day period, the number of live adults in each container, and adult production viability. All substrates tested were accepted by the females. However, a significantly higher number of O. insidiosus eggs was found on bean sprouts (4.3 eggs per day) and soybean sprouts (3.9 eggs per day), when compared with the other substrates evaluated. The lowest (p<0,05) viability values in the production of O. insidiosus adults (75.1 and 71.7%) were observed from eggs laid on potato sprouts and bean pods, respectively. Bean and soybean sprouts were suitable to rear O. insidiosus in the laboratory; these substrates have the additional advantages of being produced throughout the year without requiring large areas for its production, thus reducing the costs and labor necessary to obtain and prepare them to be use on the mass-rearing system. These results may be useful in the mass rearing of O. insidiosus in the laboratory, with the objective of releasing the predator in biological control programs against thrips.
Biology; biological control; fecundity; predator
