Egg feeding potential of Nabis americoferus: a native biological control agent of greenhouse pests

Tuta absoluta is a highly invasive leaf mining moth, responsible for devastating greenhouse and field tomato production in many parts of the world. Due to the
potential for its invasion into North America, we surveyed local conservation areas within SW Ontario for native predators in the order Hemiptera as species such as Dicyphus hesperus (Hemiptera Miridae have been successful in the greenhouse industry (McGregor, 1999). Sorting through the diversity collected, Nabis americorferus Hempitera Nabidae showed potential. Our recent testing has shown rapid population growth
rate on tomato, a long lifespan and a voracious appetite on many potential pests. We assessed how well this natural enemy at its two life stages (N 2 and adult) consumes eggs of the European flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella a supplemental food.