Evaluation of artificial substrate for oviposition and embryonic development of Xylocoris sordidus (Reuter, 1871) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae)

The use of predators of the family Anthocoridae in biological control programs depends on efficient methodologies for their mass rearing. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the potential of an alternative substrate for oviposition and egg viability of the predator Xylocoris sordidus (Reuter, 1871) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae). For this purpose, no-chance and double chance choice tests using natural (Bidens pilosa L.) and artificial substrates (cotton rolls) were made. In the double chance choice test, X. sordidus preferred the natural substrate for oviposition with about 12 times more eggs laid on the natural substrate. In the no-chance test, we observed no difference in the number of eggs laid on the substrates with means of 18.73 and 19.92 eggs for natural and artificial substrates respectively, however; egg viability was higher on cotton rolls with 85.5 and 99.8% for eggs laid on natural and artificial substrates respectively. The results demonstrated that cotton rolls substrate offers advantages for oviposition and egg viability, thus being strongly recommended for mass rearing of X. sordidus.