Biological and reproductive characteristics of spring generation of Aelia acuminata L. (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in laboratory conditions

Aelia acuminata (L.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is among cereal bugs that occasionally damages wheat and barley plants. To understand its reproductive potential, an experiment was carried out using adults of spring generation collected from a wheat field in Amol (North Iran). The insects were fed with wheat grains and maintained at 25 ± 1 ºC, RH = 60-80% and a photoperiod of L:D = 16:8 h. Development times of egg and five nymphal instars were 7.14 ± 0.028, 4.96 ± 0.056, 9.11 ± 0.221, 6.28 ± 0.238, 6.56 ± 0.185 and 8.63 ± 0.347 days, respectively. More than 80% mortality occurred during egg and two first nymphal stages. Total development time was not different between female (43.00 ± 0.87 days) and male (43.36 ± 0.81 days). Estimated values for intrinsic and finite rates of increase (day ^-1), gross and net reproductive rates (eggs) and generation time (days) were -0.0261 ± 0.0112, .974 ± 0.210, 10.7 ± 5.81, 0.16 ± 0.094 and 68.99 ± 15.74, respectively. Poor reproductive performance of spring generation of A. acuminata indicated that they could not properly be established under the examined laboratory conditions.