Life history of Lygus keltoni (Hemiptera: Miridae) in the laboratory

Abstract

AbstractLygus keltoni Schwartz and Foottit is a species of plant bugs recently recognized as distinct from L. shulli Knight and an important component of the pest complex that attacks a number of field crops such as canola (Brassica napus) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) in western Canada. The current laboratory study was undertaken to determine basic life-history parameters, such as instar duration, adult longevity, and reproductive potential, required to develop biologically based pest management strategies. At 25–27 °C, males lived around 34 days and females lived around 48 days. Females produced an average of 133 nymphs but up to 306 nymphs during their reproductive life, which averaged around 4 weeks (7-day preoviposition period). Egg incubation lasted around 10 days, instars 1–4 lasted 2–3 days each, and the 5th instar lasted 4 days. The reproductive potential of L. keltoni seems to be lower than that of L. hesperus Knight and L. lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois), but other life-history parameters of the adults and development times of the nymphs are comparable.