RESEARCH ARTICLE

Journal of Oil Palm Research Vol. 16 No. 2, December 2004, p. 50-56

LIFE CYCLE OF Sycanus dichotomus (HEMIPTERA: PENTATOMIDAE) – A COMMON PREDATOR OF BAGWORM IN OIL PALM

ZULKEFLI Masijan*; NORMAN Kamarudin*; MOHD BASRI Wahid*

ABSTRACT

The life cycle of Sycanus dichotomus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) was studied with two types of prey, Corcyra cephalonicaand Plutella xylostella in a controlled environment room. The eggs hatched after 11 to 39 days with each cluster having 15 to 119 eggs. Five nymphal stages were recorded. The mean longevity of each nymphal stage was 24.35, 16.95, 20.35, 25.32 and 43.51 days when fed with C. cephalonica and 16.72, 15.78, 14.88, 24.03 and 46.84 days when fed with P. xylostella. The period of development from eggs to adult when fed with C. cephalonica and P. xylostella were 193.44 ± 2.41 and 203.91 ± 2.77 days. The mean longevity for male and female adults fed with P. xylostella was 83.47± 4.37 and 87.64 ± 3.31days respectively. The longevity of male and female adults fed with C. cephalonica was 63.99 ± 2.92 and 61.61.86 ± 2.96 days. Lower mortality was recorded on the S. dichotomus fed with P. xylostella.

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* Malaysian Palm Oil Board,
P. O. Box 10620,
50720 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
E-mail: zulmas@mpob.gov.my