Basic Studies Aiming at Orius minutus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) Mass-Rearing

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Entomology
• Biological Control
• Insect Rearing

Background:

• Enhancing the usability of Orius minutus as a biological control agent requires simplifying its mass-rearing process.
• Development of alternative diets and artificial oviposition substrates is crucial for cost-effective insect production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the economic viability of artificial oviposition substrates for mass-rearing Orius minutus.
• To compare the efficacy of different artificial substrates and feeding treatments on egg production and hatch rates.
• To develop a cost-effective, plant-free mass-rearing model for Orius minutus.

Main Methods:

• Comparison of Orius minutus egg hatch rates on plant substrates versus artificial substrates (cork sheets, rubber).
• Evaluation of five feeding treatments, including brine shrimp and Ephestia cautella eggs, on egg production in the fifth generation.
• Calculation of cost reduction achieved by the developed plant-free mass-rearing model.

Main Results:

• Cork sheets were identified as the most cost-effective artificial oviposition substrate for Orius minutus mass-rearing.
• No significant difference in egg laying was observed between the group fed iron-coated brine shrimp and moth eggs (61.3 eggs) and the control group (67.4 eggs).
• The developed plant-free model reduced rearing costs by 70.5% compared to conventional methods.

Conclusions:

• Artificial oviposition substrates, particularly cork sheets, significantly improve the cost-effectiveness of Orius minutus mass-rearing.
• Dietary treatments did not significantly impact egg production, suggesting flexibility in feeding regimes.
• The plant-free mass-rearing model offers substantial economic benefits for biological control applications.