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. 2025 Jan 19;16(1):101.
doi: 10.3390/insects16010101.

Functional Responses of the Warehouse Pirate Bug Xylocoris flavipes (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) on a Diet of Liposcelis decolor (Pearman) (Psocodea: Liposcelididae)

Augustine Bosomtwe  1   2 , George Opit  1 , Kristopher Giles  1 , Brad Kard  1 , Carla Goad  3
Affiliations

Functional Responses of the Warehouse Pirate Bug Xylocoris flavipes (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) on a Diet of Liposcelis decolor (Pearman) (Psocodea: Liposcelididae)

Augustine Bosomtwe et al. Insects. .

Abstract

Psocids are difficult to manage using grain protectants and phosphine hence research on non-chemical control methods. This study evaluated the effectiveness of Xylocoris flavipes (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) at managing Liposcelis decolor (Pearman) (Psocodea: Liposcelididae). The functional responses of adult♀ and nymphs of X. flavipes on a diet of nymphs, adult♂, and adult♀ of L. decolor were determined under laboratory conditions at 28 ± 1 °C, 63 ± 5% RH, and a 0:24 (L:D) photoperiod. Maximum likelihood estimates (MLEs) of a logistic regression analysis showed that the functional responses of the life stages of X. flavipes on diets of three stages of L. decolor were Holling Type II. Estimates of the attack rate (a), handling time (Th), maximum predation (K) per day, and predation efficiency (η) per day for the two predator life stages against each prey life stage showed that the adult♀ X. flavipes predation rate was better compared with the nymphs. The adult♀ X. flavipes per capita consumption rate and searching efficiency were also higher than those of the nymphs. The data showed adults of L. decolor are more favorable for adult♀ X. flavipes whereas their nymphs prefer nymphs of L. decolor. Field evaluation of X. flavipes is required for their incorporation into psocid pest management.

Keywords: bio-based IPM; biological control; predator; psocid; stored-product pest.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. By this declaration, all authors confirm that this manuscript has not been published elsewhere and it is not under consideration by another journal. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results. This paper reports the results of research only. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by Oklahoma State University (OSU). OSU is an equal opportunity employer.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Functional responses of adult♀ and nymphs of Xylocoris flavipes on a diet of different life stages (adult♀, adult♂, and nymph) and densities of Liposcelis decolor.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mean numbers of prey killed (Na) per adult♀ of Xylocoris flavipes per day (A) and nymphs of Xylocoris flavipes (B) on diets of adult♀, adult♂, and nymph of L. decolor at varying densities. Means were analyzed using a two-way analysis of variance at a significance level of α = 0.05, followed by Tukey’s Honestly Significant Difference test for multiple comparison. Significant differences among prey stages for each prey density are denoted with different lowercase letters for each predator.
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