Stage and Host Preference and Functional Response of a Reduviid Predator Acanthaspis pedestris Stal to Four Cotton Pests

The host and stage preference of Acanthaspis pedestris Stal an important reduviid predator of many insect pests in South India were studied using four cotton pests, such as Earias insulana Boisdual, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner), Pectinophora gossypiella Saunders and Spodoptera litura (Fabricius). The functional response was also studied on P. gossypiella, The results revealed that medium sized larvae were preferred in case of E. insulana (78.87 %), H. armigera (83.33%) and S. Litura (66.66%) while in case of P. gossypiella (75.0 %), only larger larvae were preferred by the predator. The bug preferred P.gossypiella (31.28%) to H. armigera (29.74%). Functional response showed a linear relationship between the number of prey offered and the number consumed. The females were found to be better predators than the males.