Abstract Biological stimulation induced by low doses of toxicants or other stressors is known as hormesis. Hormetic stimulation of life history traits in insect pests can negatively impact agriculture, but stimulation of beneficial insects could be leveraged to enhance biological control agents. We examined whether low doses of imidacloprid could enhance oviposition, fecundity, fertility, and survival in the beneficial stink bug predator, Podisus maculiventris (Say) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), exposed at different life stages and across two generations. When treated as young adults, P. maculiventris fecundity was stimulated at 0.5 and 1.0 mg/liter imidacloprid (<2% of the field rate) without changes in time to oviposition, fertility, and survival. Nymphs exposed to 0.015 mg/liter imidacloprid (<1% of the field rate) also had stimulated reproduction without effects on oviposition, fertility, and survival, but treatment of nymphs at 0.15 and 1.5 mg/liter imidacloprid stimulated fecundity at the expense of fertility and survival. In another experiment we found reproductive stimulation can occur trans-generationally without major reduction in fertility or survival. Our results suggest biocontrol producers may be able to strategically apply low doses of stress to natural enemies during culturing without compromising fitness in subsequent generations.

中文翻译：

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低剂量的新烟碱刺激有益捕食性昆虫的繁殖

摘要 由低剂量毒物或其他压力源引起的生物刺激被称为兴奋剂。对害虫生活史特征的激素刺激会对农业产生负面影响，但可以利用对有益昆虫的刺激来增强生物防治剂。我们检查了低剂量的吡虫啉是否可以增强有益的臭虫捕食者 Podisus maculiventris (Say) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) 的产卵、繁殖力、生育力和存活率，它们暴露于不同的生命阶段和两代。当作为年轻成人处理时，P. maculiventris 的繁殖力在 0.5 和 1.0 毫克/升吡虫啉（< 田间比率的 2%）下受到刺激，而产卵时间、生育力和存活率没有变化。若虫暴露于 0.015 毫克/升吡虫啉 (< 1% 的田间率）也具有刺激繁殖，而对产卵、生育力和存活率没有影响，但以 0.15 和 1.5 毫克/升的吡虫啉处理若虫以牺牲生育力和存活率为代价刺激了繁殖力。在另一项实验中，我们发现生殖刺激可以跨代发生，而不会显着降低生育率或存活率。我们的结果表明，生物防治生产者可能能够在培养过程中战略性地对天敌施加低剂量的压力，而不会影响后代的适应性。在另一项实验中，我们发现生殖刺激可以跨代发生，而不会显着降低生育率或存活率。我们的结果表明，生物防治生产者可能能够在培养过程中战略性地对天敌施加低剂量的压力，而不会影响后代的适应性。在另一项实验中，我们发现生殖刺激可以跨代发生，而不会显着降低生育率或存活率。我们的结果表明，生物防治生产者可能能够在培养过程中战略性地对天敌施加低剂量的压力，而不会影响后代的适应性。