Can host plants affect egg predation of two-spotted spider mite by Macrolophus pygmaeus (Hemiptera: Miridae)?

Different host plants can affect the performance of herbivores and their natural enemies. The life history of the mirid predator, Macrolophus pygmaeus Rambur, was studied after feeding on Tetranychus urticae Koch eggs reared on the solanaceous plants, including tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv Nora) and sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L. cv Kadia) under laboratory conditions. According to the age-stage, two-sex life table theory, developmental time, survival rate, and fecundity were analyzed. The results showed that premature developmental time of the predator was shorter when they were fed on tomato-reared spider mites than on sweet-pepper-reared spider mites. Some population parameters [Intrinsic rate of increase (r), Net reproductive rate (R0) and Mean generation time) of M. pygmaeus were significantly affected by the host plants. Mean number of T. urticae eggs consumed by different stages/sexes of M. pygmaeus was calculated based on the age-stage two-sex consumption rate model. The results indicated that the consumption rate increased from nymph to adult in both sexes. The net predation rate (C0) was 547.98 ± 24.00 and 381.6 ± 18.04 mites on tomato and sweet pepper, respectively. Transformation rate from prey population to predator offspring (Qp) was 7.11 ± 0.18 and 5.60 ± 0.24 on tomato and sweet pepper, respectively. The results showed that the survival and reproductive rate of M. pygmaeus was higher when they fed on T. urticae eggs laid by tomato-reared adults compared to sweet pepper-reared individuals. This study provides an opportunity to better understand the interactions of the three trophic levels through considering host plant importance in the success of biological control.