LIFE CYCLE OF Sycanus dichotomus (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) - A COMMON PREDATOR OF BAGWORM IN OIL PALM

摘要

The life cycle of Sycanus dichotomus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) was studied with two types of prey, Coreyra cephalonica and Plutella xylostella in a controlled environment room. The eggs hatched after 11 to 39 days with each cluster having 15 to 119 eggs. Five nymphal stages were recorded. The mean longevity of each nymphnl stage was 24.35, 76.95, 20.35, 25.32 and 43.57 days when fed with C. cephalonica and 76.72, 15.78, 14.88, 24.03 and 46.84 days when fed with P. xylostella. The period of development from eggs to adult when fed with C. cephalonica and P. xylostella were 193.44 ±2.41 and 203.91 ±2.77 days. The mean longevity for male and female adults fed with P. xylostella was 83.47±4.37 and 87.64 ±3.31 days respectively. The longevity of male and female adults fed with C. cephalonica was 63.99 ±2.92 and 61.61.86 ±2.96 days. Lower mortality was recorded on the S. dichotomus fed with P. xylostella.