Full Length Research Paper

Laboratory studies of the biology of Helopeltis schoutedeni Reuter (Hemiptera: Miridae), a major sucking pest of cashew (Anacardium occidentale Linn.)

E. A. Dwomoh¹*, J. V. K. Afun² and J. B. Ackonor¹

¹Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, P. O. Box 8, New Tafo-Akim, Ghana.
²Faculty of Agriculture, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: adwomoh2004@yahoo.com

Accepted 10 March, 2008

Cashew (Anacardium occidentale Linn.) has become a very important non-traditional tree crop in Ghana. Several insect pests, however, have been recorded on cashew and prominent among which is the cashew mosquito, Helopeltis schoutedeni Reuter (Hemiptera: Miridae). The biology of H. schoutedeni was studied in the laboratory at 24.9 to 33^oC and 72.4 to 88.5% Relative humidity (R.H.). Females pre-dominated males in the ratio of 0.7:0.3. The mean pre-oviposition, oviposition and post-oviposition periods were 3.6 ± 0.1, 10.2 ± 0.6 and 6.6 ± 0.4 days, respectively. The life cycle from egg to adult emergence lasted 24.0 days. There were five nymphal stages and the mean durations ranged from 2.7 ± 0.10 days for the 3^rd instar to 3.5 ± 0.10 days for the 4^th instar. The incubation averaged 8.2 ± 0.05 days. The mean pre-copulation period was 2.6 ± 0.1 days. Peak copulation activity occurred between 1400 H and 1700 H. Copulation did not take place until both sexes were at least 2 days old. Males older than three days also did not mate, no matter the age of their companion.

Key words: Biology, Helopeltis schoutedeni, cashew, Ghana.