Development and Impact of Geocoris punctipes (Say) (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) on Selected Pests of Greenhouse Ornamentals

The big-eyed bug, Geocoris punctipes (Say) (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae), a generalist insect predator common in several agricultural systems, is explored as a biological control agent against pests of ornamentals in greenhouses. This research consists of three components: 1) Evaluation of development and survival of the predator (egg through adulthood) when reared on six diets, including greenhouse pests, a combination of greenhouse pests and plant material, and a meat-based artificial diet that has been developed for G.punctipes, 2) Assessment of predation rates of mass-reared big-eyed bugs by investigating the number of prey (three prey species common to greenhouse and ornamental crops) killed by newly eclosed, mass-reared, adult big-eyed bugs and comparing the predation of mass-reared and field-collected individuals of the same species, and 3) Determination of the effectiveness of G. punctipes in supressing populations of greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorium (Westwood), and western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), on a cut flower crop, Ageratum houstonium Miller, in the greenhouse. The hypothesis of this research is that the development, survival, and predation efficiency of big-eyed bugs reared on artificial meat-based diet are similar to those of insects reared on live prey. If the hypothesis is true, then mass-reared big-eyed bugs may have potential as a biological control agent of pests in greenhouse Integrated Pest Management programs. This research contributes to our understanding of beneficial insects and their impact on pest species, and to pest management programs that allow growers of ornamental plants to maximize economic profitability while minimizing environmental impacts by reducing pesticide use.