PREDATOR-PREY RELATIONSHIP OF GEOCORIS-PUNCTIPES (HEMIPTERA, LYGAEIDAE) AND HELIOTHIS-VIRESCENS (LEPIDOPTERA, NOCTUIDAE)

Predator-prey relationships between Geocoris punctipes (Say) and Heliothis virescens (F.) were studied in the laboratory by caging G. punctipes nymphs individually with H. virescens eggs or larvae. The primary objectives of the study were to determine which stages of H. virescens were acceptable as prey for each nymphal instar of G. punctipes and how this predation affected the developmental rate and percent survival of the predator's 5 instars. First-instar G. punctipes nymphs were discovered to be almost exclusively egg predators; the last 4 fed on both eggs and small larvae. All predator stages attained a survival rate of over 96% when they fed on eggs, but when feeding on lst-instar larvae, survival ranged from 5.6-69.0% for all instars. Predator survival, feeding and development rates decreased as size (or age) of its prey increased; survival rate and feeding rates increased with each successive instar. © 1979 Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved.