Uptake of Dietary Selenium by Laboratory and Field Feeding Podisus maculiventris (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)

Abstract

Podisus maculiventris (Say) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is a generalist predator commercially available for augmentative biological control of pest insects in a variety of crop and orchard systems. It is exposed to a wide variety of micronutrients based on the soil type, plant, and insect prey items consumed. Bioaccumulation of selenium by adult females of P. maculiventris fed insectary-reared Trichoplusia ni Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larval prey was not statistically significant. However, adult females of P. maculiventris collected from the field that had been feeding primarily on alfalfa weevils (Hypera postica Gyllenhal; Coleoptera: Curculionidae), and those fed an artificial diet, showed significant bioaccumulation of selenium. This is the first report of biomagnification of a trace element across 3 trophic levels involving P. maculiventris.