Life History of a Phytosuccivorus Bug, Halys dentatus Fabr. (Heteroptera : Pentatomidae), a Pest of Neem Tree, Azadirachta indica A. Juss, in Western Uttar Pradesh

Halys dentatus is a phytosuccivorus and polyphagous bug found infesting throughout the year on A. indica. There is a clear cut dimorphism in male and female. H. dentatus needs a precopulation period which ranges from 16 to 37 days with an average of 27.54±5.08 days. Female Halys denlatus takes 2 - 8 days with an average of 4.30±1.46 days as preoviposition time. There are five nymphal instars. The nymphal period in the insect under study varies from 152 to 194 days with an average of 175.04±10.26 days. There is only one generation of insect per year.