Functional response of Nesidiocoris tenuis (Hemiptera: Miridae) to Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae): effect of different host plants

ABSTRACTThe influence of three host plants, namely cucumber, tomato and eggplant, on functional response of male, virgin and mated female predatory bug Nesidiocoris tenuis was investigated on different densities of Trialeurodes vaporariorum nymphs. The 24-h experiment conducted at laboratory conditions revealed that N. tenuis exhibited a type II functional response to T. vaporariorum on host plants. There were no significant differences between attack rates, as well as handling times estimated for each adult stage of the predator between host plants. However, on each host plant, the handling time estimated for the mated female in comparison with two other adult stages had lower values (0.7952, 0.6827 and 0.8884 h−1 on cucumber, tomato and eggplant, respectively). Handling time estimated for the mated female on cucumber was significantly lower than that estimated for the male predator. The highest maximum handling rate (T/Th) was estimated for the mated female followed by the virgin female and male on all ...