The functional response and predatory ability of the reduviid coranus fuscipennis reuter (heteroptera: Reduviidae) fed on the rice meal moth corcyra cephalonica (stainton)

Abstract

The reduviid Coranus fuscipennis Reuter (Heteroptera: Reduviidae) is an important predator for biological control the pests of vegetables in Vietnam. The functional response of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th nymphal instars and adult male and female of the predator C. fuscipennis to the larvae of rice mcal moth Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) was evaluated in laboratory conditions (temperature 30±2°C; relative humidity 75±5%; and 14:10 h Light:Dark). The results show that the nymph and adult of C. fuscipennis responded lo different densities of prey. They killed more number of prey at higher prev densities and less prey at lower prey densities that produced a curve linear type II functional response (Holling 1959).