In the present study, the influence of three sex ratios (1:1, 1:2, and 1:3; female:male) of the mirid Engytatus varians (Distant) (Hemiptera) on different biological parameters and on its offspring was evaluated. The prey preference of different developmental stages of this predator for different nymphal instars (N) of Bactericera cockerelli (Sulcer) (Hemiptera: Triozidae) was also evaluated. The fertility was significantly higher (24 nymphs/female) in the 1:3 sex ratio than in the 1:1 and 1:2 sex ratios (14 and 16 nymphs/female, respectively). The females in the 1:1 and 1:2 sex ratios lived 1.14 and 1.43 days more (27 and 28 days, respectively) than those in the 1:3 sex ratio (26 days). The nymphs derived from the females of the three sex ratios (first filial generation, F1) had five instars and a duration of 17 or 18 days. The ratio of the F1 generation females was not affected by the sex ratio of their parents. In choice tests, independent of whether the preys were placed on a single or multiple tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) leaflets, the consumption of females and males and N3, N4, and N5 nymphs of E. varians on B. cockerelli, generally showed the order of N2>N3>N4>N5. In conclusion, the findings revealed in this study can help to improve the rearing methodology for increasing populations of E. varians. In addition, they can serve as a guideline for releasing this predator in times when there is an abundance of early instar nymphs of B. cockerelli.

中文翻译：

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性别比对 Engytatus varians (Distant)（半翅目：Miridae）成虫及其后代不同生物学参数的影响：对 Bactericera cockerelli（Sulcer）（半翅目：Triozidae）的猎物偏好


在本研究中，三种性别比例（1：1、1：2和1：3；女性：男性）的影响变种恩吉塔斯对（远）（半翅目）不同的生物学参数及其后代进行了评估。该捕食者不同发育阶段对不同若虫龄(N)的猎物偏好科氏杆菌（Sulcer）（半翅目：Triozidae）也进行了评估。 1:3性别比下的生育力（24若虫/雌性）显着高于1:1和1:2性别比（分别为14和16若虫/雌性）。性别比为1:1和1:2的雌性比性别比为1:3的雌性（26天）多活了1.14天和1.43天（分别为27天和28天）。三种性别比例的雌性（第一子代，F 1 ）有五个龄期，持续时间为 17 或 18 天。 F 的比率1女性一代不受父母性别比例的影响。在选择测试中，无论猎物是放在单个还是多个番茄上（番茄L.) 传单、女性和男性的消费以及 N 3 ,N 4 , 和 N 5若虫E. 瓦里安斯在B.科克雷利，一般表示N的阶数2 >N 3 >N 4 >N 5 。总之，本研究揭示的结果有助于改进饲养方法，以增加种群数量E. 瓦里安斯。此外，当存在大量早龄若虫时，它们可以作为释放这种捕食者的指南。 B.科克雷利。