Despite of the efficacy of heteropteran predators in biological control of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), the high costs of their production due to the use of expensive factitious prey limit their wider use. Therefore, studies on their adaptability against fluctuations of prey supply may offer valuable inputs for optimal use of prey in their rearing. Here, we present a detailed assessment of prey deprivation effects on the developmental traits of the omnivorous predator Dicyphus errans (Wolff) (Hemiptera: Miridae). The effect of eight treatments of periodical prey provision in different nymphal instars and five treatments of continuous provision of suboptimal prey amounts during nymphal development were assessed. Nymphs fed only in early instars were able to complete their development whereas prey availability in late instars was linked to high adult weight gain. Female nymphs that showed both a very short developmental time and a very intense food consumption, at the highest prey availability levels, gained the most weight among all the treatments tested. Interestingly, nymphs fed with half of their saturation level developed similarly to those that had access to a full saturation level. The results are discussed with respect to the adaptation strategies exhibited by this predatory bug, with emphasis on implications for its mass rearing and use in biological control. The outcomes may be usefully applied in the selection and rearing of the best new candidates against T. absoluta.

尽管异翅类捕食者在对绝对金枪鱼（Meyrick）（鳞翅目：天蛾科）的生物防治中具有功效，但由于使用昂贵的人为制造的猎物，其生产成本高昂，限制了它们的广泛应用。因此，研究它们对猎物供应波动的适应性可能为在其饲养中优化利用猎物提供有价值的投入。在这里，我们提出了猎物剥夺对杂食性捕食者Dicyphus errans的发育性状的详细评估（沃尔夫）（半翅目：Mir科）。评估了八种处理方法，在不同的若虫龄期提供定期的猎物，以及五种方法，在若虫发育过程中连续提供次佳的猎物。如果只在早期的幼龄期进食的若虫能够完成其发育，而晚期的幼龄期的猎物可利用性与成年体重的增加有关。在所有被测疗法中，雌性若虫在很短的时间内就表现出极短的发育时间和非常强烈的食物消耗，并获得最高的猎物利用率。有趣的是，以饱和度一半为食的若虫与那些达到完全饱和度的若虫相似。讨论了有关此掠食性昆虫所表现出的适应策略的结果，着重于对其大规模饲养及其在生物防治中的应用的意义。结果可以有效地应用于选择和培养最佳新人选T. absoluta。