An Analysis of Predatory Bugs (Orius spp., Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) and Pest Insects on Some Crop Plants: Their Distributions, Abundance and Population Developments.

The seasonal distributions of predatory bugs, specifically species of Orius (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), and the population dynamics of some sucking pests including aphids, leafhoppers, and thrips in crops plants (i.e. winter and summer vegetables, fruit trees and field crops) in Balcalı, Adana Province, Turkey, were investigated during 2019–2020. A total of four Orius species were identified, which are: Orius laevigatus (Fieber), Orius niger (Wolff), Orius albidipennis (Reuter) and Orius vicinus (Ribaut). The most common species was O. laevigatus, constituting 78.36% of the total adult individual insects. Both O. laevigatus and O. niger were relatively more abundant on broad beans, beans and potatoes compared to fruit trees and open field crops, such as cotton, sesame and soybean. Very few Orius individuals were recorded on fruit trees. Those that were recorded were found mostly on apple trees. Orius and thrips individuals were collected mainly from the flowers of the plants, and their population patterns depended on the flowering phenology patterns of the plants. Significant correlations were detected between the population patterns of Orius individuals and thrips populations in winter and summer vegetables, fruit trees and field crops. This may indicate that thrips are the primary prey of Orius individuals throughout the year in agricultural ecosystems with rich plant diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]