Orius insidiosus, common name the insidious flower bug,[ On intra-guild predation and cannibalism in Orius insidiosus and Orius laevigatus (Rhynchota Anthocoridae): laboratory experiments]
Description
Orius insidiosus adults are approximately 3 mm in length. This oval-shaped insect is black with white patches on the wings.
Nymphs of this species are teardrop-shaped and wingless. They range from yellow-orange to brown in colour.
Distribution
This species is common throughout the
United States, and extends into Canada, Mexico, Central and South America. It also occurs in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and other islands of the West Indies.
Life cycle
The female lays her eggs inside plant tissues, where they hatch into nymphs. Growth time from egg to mature adult takes at least 20 days. It is possible for several generations to occur during a single growing season.
Diet
Orius insidiosus prey on plant-eating (
phytophagous)
and their eggs, various insect eggs, and other soft-bodied arthropods such as
thrips,
, and small
.
They also feed on the eggs and new larvae of the
Helicoverpa zea, spotted tobacco aphids,
Helicoverpa zea, European corn borers (
Ostrinia nubilalis), corn leaf aphids (
Rhopalosiphum maidis),
(
Macrosiphum euphorbiae), and potato leafhopper (
Empoasca fabae) nymphs.
They are used in to help control the European red mite ( Panonychus ulmi), the twospotted spider mite ( Tetranychus urticae), and most species of .
Behaviour
Both nymphs and adults feed. The adults are voracious predators and exhibit efficient searching behaviour. They congregate in areas where the density of prey is high. They are also able to propagate more rapidly in environments where prey is abundant.
Orius insidiosus seizes its prey using its front legs and then inserts its long beak into its victim's body. It usually reinserts its beak several times until the soft body of the host has been emptied, leaving behind the drained exoskeleton.
Orius insidiosus occasionally bites humans. Although the bite can be considered disproportionately painful relative to the size of this species, it is not harmful.
Habitat
This species can be found on numerous crops, including most
deciduous ,
grapes,
alfalfa,
cotton,
corn, and
.
See also
Further reading
-
Isenhour D. J., Yeargan K. V., 1981.- Predation by Orius insidiosus on the soybean thrips, Sericothrips variabilis: effect of the prey stage and density.- Environ. Entomol. 10 (4): 496-500.
-
Tavella L., Alma A., Arzone A., 1994.- Predaceus activity of Orius spp. (Anthocoridae) on Frankliniella occidentalis (Perg.) (Thripidae) on protected crops of sweet pepper.- Inf. tore Fitopat. 44 (1): 40-43.
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