Madras Agricultural Journal
Open Access
  • Year: 2024
  • Volume: 111
  • Issue: 4

Biology of the Anthocorid Bug, Cardiastethus exiguus on UV Irradiated Eggs of Corcyra cephalonica

  • Author:
  • B N Balaji1,*, Vidya Mulimani2
  • Total Page Count: 4
  • Published Online: Nov 26, 2025
  • Page Number: 100 to 103

1Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore- 560065, India

2All India Network Project on Acarology, Department of Entomology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore- 560065, India

*Corresponding author mail: balajibvn123@gmail.com

Online Published on 26 November, 2025.

Abstract

Cardiastethus exiguus Poppius is a beneficial predatory anthocorid bug. The biology of C. exiguus was studied on eggs of the alternate host, Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton) in the laboratory, at 28 ± 2°C and relative humidity of 70%. The results revealed that C. exiguous had three life stages: egg, nymph and adult. Eggs of C. exiguus were thrust within the plant tissue and hatched after a mean incubation period of 3.5 days. Nymphs, when reared on UV sterilized eggs of C. cephalonica, developed normally with five instars, each having a mean duration of 3.50, 3.00, 2.50, 4.50 and 6.00 days, respectively. The adults were reared on UV-irradiated eggs of C. cephalonica. The mean longevity of the adults was found to be 46.5 days.

Keywords

Cardiastethus Exiguus, Corcyra Cephalonica, Life Stages, Predatory Anthocorid Bug