This study investigated the effect of several substrate types and moisture sources on the developmental and reproductive fitness of the zoophytophagous predator Orius laevigatus (Fieber) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) when fed a factitious prey (i.e. unnatural prey) Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller) eggs, or a meridic artificial diet based on hen's egg yolk. O. laevigatus is known to feed on plants as an...

Pest control in agriculture employs diverse strategies, among which the use of predatory insects has steadily increased. The use of several species within the genus Orius in pest control is widely spread, particularly in Mediterranean Europe. Commercial mass rearing of predatory insects is costly, and research efforts have concentrated on diet manipulation and selective breeding to reduce costs...

Global warming may affect species abundance and distribution, as well as temperature-dependent morphometric traits. In this study, we first used historical data to document changes in Orius (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae) species assemblage and individual morphometric traits over the past seven decades in Israel. We then tested whether these changes could have been temperature driven by searching f...

Action thresholds are traditionally based on the density of pests and the economic damage they cause to crops. Pest damage assessments are usually made in a "sterile" environment, devoid of extenuating factors such as predators, parasitoids, and alternative food sources. Recently, the effects of a predator or parasitoid species have been considered. However, interactions between natural enemy s...

Abstract Augmentative biological control in protected crops relies mainly on omnivorous predators. Their performance as agents (BCA) depends several characteristics of the species, which turn may differ among strains within a species. We have recently reported achievement two Orius laevigatus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) showing significant larger body size or better fitness when feeding pollen, h...

When assessing the reproductive potential of laboratory-reared predatory insects, the role of males is often neglected, although they may have a signiÞcant impact on the reproductive output of their female mates. The current study investigated the effect of age and diet of males on the reproductive capacity of the anthocorid predator Orius laevigatus (Fieber) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae). The test...

The important invasive thrips species Hawaiian flower thrips, Thrips hawaiiensis (Morgan, 1913) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) was first reported in Türkiye 2015. Since then, it has been causing damage lemon orchards. This study conducted to reveal the most effective insecticides, spraying time and efficacy of biological control. For this purpose, effectiveness five insecticides (480 g/l spinosad, 2...