Investigating overwintering biology of Orius vicinus (Ribaut) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae)

In this study, overwintering biology of the Orius vicinus (Ribaut) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) was investigated between November 2017 and April 2018 in the Balcalı location of Adana Province, Turkey. The hatching time of O. vicinus's eggs, nymphal development time, pre-oviposition, oviposition and post-oviposition periods of females, the number of eggs laid and longevities of adults (females and males) were examined with experiments that were performed in the first week of each experimental month under the outdoor conditions at the Cukurova University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Plant Protection. The duration of egg hatching lasted nearly between 5 and 10 days for whole experiments and they were hatched even at low temperature and short day-length conditions in winter. In addition, it was determined that more than half of the tested nymphs emerged as adults as well as in the winter hard conditions. Our observations indicated that the nymphs were affected negatively by the rapid changes of temperature, however, they were tolerant to the low temperatures and to short day-lengths. Besides that, the nymphal development time was increased following decreasing temperatures. All females in the trials oviposited for about 30 days even in the coldest periods (mean below 15 °C). The females were not affected from the variable environmental conditions and they did not enter reproductive diapause. While the female individuals in February and January could not survive till the early spring (March), the individuals from February resumed their lives in this period.