Effect of hunger level on prey consumption and functional response of the predator Macrolophus pygmaeus

A study was conducted to examine the influence of the hunger level on the prey consumption of Macrolophus pygmaeus Rambur (Hemiptera Miridae) at varying densities of Myzus persicae Sulzer (Hemiptera Aphididae) through laboratory functional response experiments. Newly emerged adult females of the predator were subjected to 24 or 48 h of prey deprivation on pepper plant, as well as to 48 h only on a wet layer of cotton wool. In all experiments, 2 instars of the aphid were used as prey at densities of 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 32 and 40 individuals. An adult female predator of each level of hunger was introduced into a dish with a pepper leaf with aphids, and the predation rate was recorded after a period of 24 and 48 h (after prey replacement). The predatory behaviour of insects was not altered with the hunger level. However, a significantly higher predation rate was recorded when predators were deprived of both prey and leaf for 48 h at the prey density of 20 prey items. The logistic regression showed that M. pygmaeus exhibited a Holling’s Type II functional response in all treatments. Values of handling time and attack rate were not significantly different between the treatments regardless of the predator hunger level.