LAUSR

The litchi stink bug, Tessaratoma papillosa (Drury) (Hemiptera: Tessaratomidae), is a serious pest in the longan and litchi orchards in China. At present, the control of T. papillosa is heavily based on the use of insecticides, and the environmentally-friendly alternative strategies are urgently needed. The praying mantis, Hierodula patellifera (Serville, 1839) (Mantodea: Mantidae) and T. papillosa coexist in orchards. We assessed the potential of H. patellifera adults serving as a bio-control agent against T. papillosa by observing the predatory behavior of the mantis when the bugs were offered at different densities and different developmental stages under laboratory condition. The results showed that H. patellifera adults could be an effective biological control agent against T. papillosa as it exhibited Holling type II and type III functional response in the laboratory. Its consumption rates of prey increased with an increase in the density of prey offered but its search efficiency declined. The proportions of 1st -4th instar T. papillosa nymphs consumed by H. patellifera were higher than the other stages. Our results indicated that H. patellifera can be an effective biocontrol agent of T. papillosa, and these findings can guide the mass production efforts of this mantis.