FOOD UTILIZATION AND EGESTION RATES OF THE PREDATOR GEOCORIS PUNCTIPES (HEMIPTERA: HETEROPTERA) FED ARTIFICIAL DIETS WITH RUTIN

A predaceous hemipteran, Geocoris punctipes (Say) was fed an artificial diet containing 0, 0.01, 0.10, or 1.00% rutin, a plant secondary chemical known to affect adversely certain phytophagous insects. Survival rates, exuvial weights, egg weights, relative growth rates, consumption indices, growth efficiencies, metabolic efficiencies and digestive efficiencies were unaffected by any of the rutin concentrations tested. Frass production for nymphs and adults was decreased by all rutin treatments. Uric acid excretion was decreased by all rutin concentrations in adult G. punctipes but not in nymphal insects.