CARACTERÍSTICAS BIOLÓGICAS DE ADULTOS DE PODISUS NIGRISPINUS E SUPUTIUS CINCTICEPS (HEMIPTERA: PENTATOMIDAE) ALIMENTADOS COM THYRINTEINA ARNOBIA (LEPIDOPTERA: GEOMETRIDAE)

Abstract

The Eucalyptus genus (an exotic mirtacea proceeding from Australia) is used for reforestation in Brazil. However, only after 1966 did this sector take impulse in the country. Thus, beyond exotic, the cultivation of this genus is recent. Defoliation caused by epidemics of lepidopterous species, such as Thyrinteina arnobia, for example, had been observed periodically. In Brazil Podisus nigrispinus and Supputius cincticeps are being used as predators against defoliator lepidopterous species, however in current literature information is not available about the establishment of these predators in the field. The objective of this work was to analyze the biological aspects of P. nigrispinus and S. cincticeps adults on T. arnobia caterpillars collected on Eucalyptus uro- phylla plants. Comparing the biological aspects of the two predators species, the performance of P. nigrispinus on the caterpillars of T. arnobia was observed as better than the performance of S. cincticeps. Based on these results it is possible to demonstrate that P. nigrispinus is breaking possible systems of defense of this specie of herbivore, such as the secondary metabolites that the herbivore probably would be kidnapping from eucalyptus plants. If the natural enemies (S. cincticeps, for example) will not be adapt to these composites, its performance in the control of the pest and on its development can be negatively affected.