Artificial rearing of Nezara viridula (L.) and N. antennata Scott (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) with semi-solid meridic diets

Semi-solid meridic diets for rearing two related species of Pentatomidae, Nezara viridula and N. antennata, were developed. For N. viridula, development times from second nymphal stadium to adult were 27.6 to 28.2 d for females and 26.8 to 27.5 d for males reared on the meridic diets at 25°C. The nymphal survival rate of N. viridula on the diets was more than 87%. Body weight at adult emergence ranged from 157.6 to 160.1 mg for females and from 123.1 to 128.3 mg for males. The pre-oviposition period was 20.8 to 25.8 d at 25°C when fed on the meridic diets, longer than when fed on peanut and soybean seeds. Fecundity and egg hatchability of the bugs fed on the meridic diets were almost the same as those for bugs fed on seeds. Casein was the only ingredient of the meridic diets essential for nymphal development of N. viridula. Nymphal duration of N. antennata fed on the meridic diet was 31.1 d for females and 29.2 d for males at 25°C, not much different from those fed on seeds. The pre-oviposition period of N. antennata fed on the meridic diet was 23.3 d at 25°C.