The effect of different prey species on the efficiency of the predator thanasimus formicarius reared in laboratory

Thanasimus formicarius (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Cleridae) is a mass producted predator used for biological control against bark beetle epidemics in Turkey and Europe. In this study, it was aimed that the potential of the predator beetle, Thanasimus formicarius (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Cleridae) against some important bark beetles, Ips acuminatus (Gyllenhal, 1827), Ips sexdentatus (Boerner, 1776), Pityoktenies curvidens, Tomicus piniperda (Linnaeus, 1758) and Tomicus minor (Hartig, 1834) and the effect of feeding on these pest insects on its efficiency were investigated in the provience of Sinop-Boyabat. For this purpose, pheromone traps were hung in certain localities of the region and checked daily to collect bark beetles and predators falling into them and all insects were brought to laboratory. After the separation of males and females beetles in the laboratory, predators were taken into production containers in pairs and they were fed with bark beetles and breeded daily. Five experimental groups with T. formicarius were set up. Each groups included one bark beetle species as food. As a results, different numbers of T. formicarius larvae were harvested from each experimental groups and it was observed that the adults of predator feeding on T. piniperda and I. acuminatus were more productive that the others the results confirm that the nutrient contents of the foods that predators feed on affect their reproductive capacity.