Rearing Orius strigicollis (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) on an alternative diet of brine shrimp, Artemia salina (Anostraca: Artemiidae)

We investigated the use of cysts of the brine shrimp Artemia salina Linnaeus as an alternative diet to eggs of the Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller, in rearing the biological control agent Orius strigicollis (Poppius). Although 3rd- and 4th-instar nymphs and 1st to 5th-instar nymphs took longer to develop when fed on brine shrimp cysts with shells than on E. kuehniella eggs, the difference was within or approximately 1 day. The nymphal survival and development were considered to be similar in O. strigicollis fed the two diets. In reproductive characteristics, adult female bugs fed eggs of E. kuehniella or brine shrimp cysts with shells performed better than those fed brine shrimp cysts without shells. Brine shrimp cysts with shells would, thus, be useful for reliably and economically rearing O. strigicollis. This rearing method may also prove useful as part of the quality assurance for commercially produced O. strigicollis.