Nymph and Adult Biology on Cultivated and on Non-Cultivated Plants and Seasonal Phenology on Wild Plants of the Neotropical Stink Bug, Euschistus paranticus Grazia (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)

Laboratory studies were conducted to evaluate nymph survivorship, developmental time, and fresh body weight at adult emergence, and adult survivorship, total longevity, reproduction, and fresh body weight gain of the Neotropical stink bug, Euschistus paranticus Grazia (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). In the field, a one-year weekly survey was carried out on the wild plants, Scutia buxifolia Reissek (Rhamanaceae) and Prunus myrtifolia (L.) Urb. (Rosaceae) in Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil (28°15'S latitude; 52°24'W longitude). Results indicated that nymph mortality was very high (range 87-100%) and on only two (green bean pod + raw shelled peanut and green bean pod alone) out of the nine foods, nymphs were able to complete development. Nymph developmental time (2nd to 5th stadia) took about 33 days on green bean pod + peanut seed, and about 54 days on green bean pod. Adults E. paranticus fed pods of green bean, raw shelled peanut, mature seed of soybean, and leaf of S. buxifolia in the laboratory showed a total longevity of about 40 to 55 days; 50% females oviposited; the pre-oviposition period was 18.9 days; number of egg masses/female was 9.3; mean total number of eggs/female was 103.6, and their viability was 55.6%. Females were heavier than males. E. paranticus was intercepted mostly during spring-summer on S. buxifolia, and only occasionally on P. myrtifolia.