Comparison of prey-derived and non-insect supplements on egg-laying of Orius insidiosus maintained on artificial diet as adults

The effects of proteins and lipids from insect- and non-insect sources on the oviposition rate of the insidious flower bug, Orius insidiosus (Say) fed supplemented artificial diets were evaluated. Soluble proteins were isolated from Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) eggs, desalted by column chromatography, lyophilized, and tested as a diet supplement. A total lipid extract from P. interpunctella eggs was also evaluated as a diet supplement, and the three most abundant fatty acids (palmitic, linoleic, and oleic acid) identified in the extract were tested as a combined supplement. Non-insect supplements evaluated in diet were bovine serum albumin, chicken liver, beef liver, and chicken egg albumin. O. insidiosus were fed the supplemented diets, whole P. interpunctella eggs, or unsupplemented artificial diet, and the mean total numbers of eggs oviposited per female were recorded throughout adult life. The Plodia egg proteins significantly increased egg production and mean number of oviposition days at concentrations of protein that were 83-, 557-, and 837-fold lower than the concentrations needed for beef liver, bovine serum albumin, and chicken egg albumin, respectively. We conclude that soluble proteins from P. interpunctella eggs provided superior nutritional value for reproduction in female O. insidiosus. Additional information is required to explain the higher specific activity of soluble egg proteins compared to the specific activities of the non-insect proteins. However, we speculate that the quality of egg proteins or of an unknown substance bound to the proteins may be important for reproduction in this predator.