Influence of constant temperatures on life history of immature Lygus elisus (Hemiptera: Miridae)

• Published in: Environmental entomology Vol. 33; no. 6; pp. 1549 - 1553
• Main Authors: Bommireddy, P.L, Parajulee, M.N, Porter, D.O
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.12.2004
• Subjects: developmental stages; duration; egg hatchability; immatures; insect development; life history; longevity; Lygus elisus; mortality; population dynamics; sex ratio; temperature
• ISSN: 0046-225X; 1938-2936
• DOI: 10.1603/0046-225X-33.6.1549

Life history characteristics of Lygus elisus Van Duzee were studied at 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 degrees C in the laboratory. The egg incubation period, instar-specific nymphal development, survivorship, and longevity of L. elisus were influenced by temperature. Eggs did not hatch at 10 degrees C. For the five remaining selected temperature treatments, the incubation period was longest at 15 degrees C and decreased nonlinearly with an increase in temperature. Temperature influenced the developmental period differently for different instars, with the second stadium being the shortest at 10, 20, 25, and 30 degrees C, whereas first and third stadia were the shortest at 15 and 35 degrees C, respectively. The final stadium was longest across all six temperatures. The relationships between temperature and total durations were described by the same equation for both males and females. Total nymphal duration was not significant with sexes. Sex ratio (proportion of males) of emerging adults of L. elisus did not deviate from 1:1. Both instar-specific and total nymphal survivorship varied significantly with temperature. Total nymphal survivorship was highest at 15 degrees C and lowest at 10 degrees C. Adult longevity ranged from 16 (35 degrees C) to 122 d (15 degrees C), with a curvilinear response to temperature. Females survived approximately equal to 10 d longer than males at 20 degrees C, but survivorship of males and females was similar at other temperatures. These life history data will be useful in developing a computer model simulating L. elisus population dynamics in the field.