The predatory mirids Macrolophus pygmaeus Ramber (Heteroptera: Miridae) and Nesidiocoris tenuis Reuter (Heteroptera: Miridae) are used for the biological control of Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) and other pests in tomato greenhouse...
Within the genus Macrolophus (Heteroptera: Miridae), the species M. costalis (Fieber), M. melanotoma (Costa) and M. pygmaeus (Rambur) are present in the Mediterranean region on a wide variety of plant species. While M. costalis can easily be separate...
Integrated Pest Management strategies are widely implemented in sweet peppers. Aphid biological control on sweet pepers includes curative applications of parasitoids and generalist predators, but with limited efficiency. Macrolophus pygmaeus is a zoo...
A mutation affecting eye color was discovered in Macrolophus pygmaeus (Rambur) (Hemiptera: Miridae). This species is an important biological control agent used to manage whiteflies and other arthropod pests in greenhouse crops. Typically, these preda...
Long-term storage is an important component of insect mass-rearing systems, prolonging the shelf life of biocontrol agents during a low-demand period or a temporary lack of suitable food. Macrolophus pygmaeus is a predatory heteropteran, mass-reared...
Nowadays, in protected vegetable crops, pest management based mainly on biological control represents the most sustainable alternative to pesticide use. The cotton whitefly, Bemisia tabaci, is one of the key pests that negatively impact the yield and...
Recent studies have suggested that predatory mirid bugs may be an effective alternative for controlling aphids in sweet pepper greenhouses. This study examined the effect of three constant temperatures (18, 24, and 30 °C) on the life history trai...
Tuta absoluta is a major pest attacking tomato crops. This invasive species emerged in Europe (Spain) in 2006, and 3 years later it spread to Portugal. In 2009/2010, it was recorded for the first time in the Azores archipelago. Macrolophus pygmaeus i...
Beneficial insects and mites, including generalist predators of the family Miridae, are widely used in biocontrol programs against many crop pests, such as whiteflies, aphids, lepidopterans and mites. Mirid predators frequently complement their carni...
In this study, the effects of paraffin oil, copper hydroxide, copper oxychloride, wettable sulfur, Beauveria bassiana and deltamethrin, as a toxic reference treatment, on the survival and predation rate of M. pygmaeus were investigated. In each treat...
Many insect and other arthropod species are maintained as non-model laboratory stocks and are used for fundamental and applied studies. Their biology may be affected by symbionts, such as Wolbachia and Spiroplasma. Thirty stocks of different insect s...
Bacterial symbionts in arthropods are common, vary in their effects, and can dramatically influence the outcome of biological control efforts. Macrolophus pygmaeus (Heteroptera: Miridae), a key component of biological control programs, is mainly pred...
The tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta, is a pest threatening global tomato production. This pest’s adaptability and resistance to chemical insecticides have necessitated integrated pest management (IPM) strategies prioritizing sustainable altern...