Laboratory rearing of Sycanus annulicornis (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) on two species of prey: Differences in its biology and efficiency as a predator of the nettle caterpillar pest Setothosea asigna (Lepidoptera: Limacodidae)

Setothosea asigna van Eecke is a dominant defoliator pest in oil palm plantations. To control this pest, a generalist predatory bug, Sycanus annulicornis Dohrn, was used as it is easy to rear on several different species of prey. In this study, we evaluated the influence of different prey on the biology and the ability of S. annulicornis to attack and kill the nettle caterpillar pest S. asigna. Based on laboratory rearing, the larvae of Crocidolomia pavonana F. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is a suitable prey for both the growth and development of S. annulicornis, as its nymphal development is shorter (74.0 ± 7.3 days) and adult longevity longer (81.0 ± 9.0 days for male and 64.8 ± 12.4 days for female, respectively) than when reared on the larvae of Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) (44.0 ± 16.7 days for male and 52.6 ± 14.4 days for female). However, S. annulicornis reared on T. molitor larvae attacked 2.0-2.2 larvae of S. asigna per day, which is more than the 1.6-1.7 larvae per day of those reared on C. pavonana, which indicates that the larvae of T. molitor are a more effective diet for rearing S. annulicornis as biocontrol agent for the S. asigna.