Capacidade predatória e resposta funcional de Euborellia annulipes (LUCAS, 1847) (DERMAPTERA: ANISOLABIDIDAE) alimentadas com diferentes presas

Abstract

Biological control represents one of the pillars of Integrated Pest Management (IPM), allowing the reduction of the population level of a species classified as a pest, keeping it below the level at which it is capable of causing economic damage. Thus, the present study aims to analyze the predatory capacity and functional response of Euborellia annulipes fed on Spodoptera frugiperda and Aphis gossypii. The research was carried out at the Entomology Laboratory belonging to the Maranhão State University. Insects of E. annulipes and S. frugiperda were kept, fed with artificial diet and reproduced in the Entomology Laboratory. For rearing A. gossypii, insects were collected from cabbage (Brassica oleracea) culture in the municipality of São Luís - MA. The collected insects were identified, kept and multiplied in the Entomology laboratory, where they were later used in the bioassays. The predation and functional response tests were performed with two experimental trials, in an entirely randomized design: trial I (two treatments - 2nd and 3rd instar E. annulipes nymphs fed on 1st instar S. frugiperda caterpillars) and trial II (two treatments - 2nd and 3rd instar E. annulipes nymphs fed on adult A. gossypii aphids). Both trials consisted of 50 replicates. Twenty prey and one predator were placed in Petri dishes, using 1st instar S. frugiperda caterpillars and adult A. gossypii aphids as prey and E. annullipes as predator for each bioassay. In Petri dishes, a 7 cm diameter disc of cabbage and corn leaves served as substrate for the aphids and caterpillars. The shearworms were kept in starvation, being provided only water for 24 hours before the beginning of the bioassays. The variables to be analyzed were: the search time (TB) and the consumption time (TC) using two chronometers. After 24 hours, the number of prey consumed and not consumed was counted. Therefore, it was concluded that the 3rd instar predator Euborellia. annullipes showed better functional response in the aspects search time and consumption time when fed with Spodoptera frugiperda and Aphis. gossyppii. As for the percentage of predation, the Euborellia. annullipes of 2nd and 3rd instar were efficient in the consumption of the species of the two pest species (Spodoptera frugiperda and Aphis. gossyppii).