PRIMARY PREY Hemiptera: Anthocoridae • Insect eggs, small caterpillars, thrips, Orius species. mites and aphids. WHAT TO LOOK FOR PREDATORY STAGES Minute Pirate Bugs are found on a wide range of crops. They • nymphs and adults. are generalist predators and APPEARANCE will attack almost anything • adults are small small enough for them to handle. When prey are not (2‐3mm) available they feed on pollen • black with white X‐ and plant juices, so look for shaped patches on them in corn silks and where wings there are spring and summer • very mobile flowering shrubs and weeds. • Orius nymphs are yellow‐orange or brown and teardrop‐shaped VEGETABLE CROPS • greenhouse crops • sweet corn, beans, Minute Pirate Bug Nymph tomato, and many among spider mite eggs. others. Natural Enemies of Vegetable Insect Pests in Hawaii PREDATORS Predators are beneficial insects that a ack, kill, or consume a wide variety of common pests. Males, females, immatures, and adults may all be predatory. Predators include lacewings, flies, spiders, beetles, true bugs, and predatory mites.
Immature and adult minute pirate bugs can consume 30 or more spider mites per day. They are also voracious thrips predators. Orius have also been observed feeding on lea opper nymphs in corn.
Reducing use of broad‐spectrum insec cidal sprays conserves popula ons. Also, plan ng Orius sp. side view, shows spring and summer flowering mouthparts (rostrum). It uses the rostrum to pierce and plants will help them survive suck the contents of prey periods of scarce prey. items.
WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR YOU
PESTS ATTACKED • eggs and young larvae of corn earworm and corn lea oppers • Thrips species in flowers and on foliage Corn earworm larvae • spider mites