Biology ofMozena obtusa(Hemiptera: Coreidae), a Candidate for the Biological Control of Mesquite,Prosopisspp. (Fabaceae)

The leaf-footed bugMozena obtusaUhler is an important natural enemy of honey mesquite,Prosopis glandulosaTorrey var.glandulosa, in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The nymphs and adults severely damage mesquite by feeding on new vegetative and reproductive growth. The temporal distribution of all life stages indicated thatM. obtusahas five nymphal instars and is bivoltine in central Texas. In the laboratory, the generation time forM. obtusaon honey mesquite was ca. 70 days: 12.7 days for the egg stage, 32.7 days for the nymphal stage, and a preovipositional period of 24.7 days. Adult longevity was ca. 167 days for females and 144 days for males. Females produced an average of 510 eggs in 39 masses with 13 eggs per mass during their lives.Mozena obtusaalso developed normally on the Argentine vinal,Prosopis ruscifoliaGrisebach, although the nymphal stage was longer (49.5 days). In the field, a complex of hymenopterous egg parasitoids [Anastatus semiflavidusGahan (Eupelmidae),Ooencyrtus johnsoni(Howard) (Encyrtidae), andGryon atrumMasner (Scelionidae)] and the tachinid flyTrichopoda pennipesF. appeared to be the principal biotic mortality factors regulating populations ofM. obtusa. Parasitism of all life stages ofM. obtusawas found to be 40%. Because it has the potential to significantly reduce seed production, this insect may be a good candidate for introduction into other countries for classical biological control of mesquite (Prosopisspp.) providing host range tests demonstrate that it does not damage beneficial or nontarget plant species.