Tip Top Bio-Control Technical Bulletin

Podisus maculiventris
Spined Soldier Predator

Target Pest:
Podisus maculiventris eradicates many Lepidoptera and Coleoptera pest insects, including cabbage loopers, Colorado potato beetle, tobacco hornworm, fall webworm, beet armyworm, Eastern tent caterpillar and Mexican bean beetle. This predator will also attack Foxglove aphid and Lygus bugs.

Description:
P. maculiventris emits a strong odor when disturbed and is the most common of several species of Podisus which found throughout the continental United States. P. maculiventris belongs to a group of true bugs which are characterized by a pentagonal shield on their backs. Their eggs are laid in clusters and are about 0.5 mm across and resemble tiny metallic barrels. The larval stages are all wingless and change from dark red-black when first hatched to ornate patterns of red or yellow with black markings as they grow. Podisus are aggressive and voracious bugs which kill beetle grubs and caterpillars. They attck prey during all larval stages and also as adults. They can kill prey that is much larger than themselves because they feed by piercing the looper with their mouth parts, injecting digestive enzymes to turn the looper mushy, and sucking up the partially digested insides. It is truly amazing to see a Podisus bug walking around with a large looper impaled on its beak.

Product information:
Podisus are shipped in bottles with vermiculite and a limited food source. The insects become active at room temperture and are highly cannibalistic, therefore it is recommended that they be kept cool and out of direct sunlight until released. Large individual bugs may be placed by hand, small larvae can be transferred on pieces of shredded paper or by carefully placing them using a fine paintbrush. At 22°C (71°F), it takes about 6 weeks for development from egg to egg laying adult. At 24°C (75°F), Podisus reproduce at a rate of 15-20 eggs per female per day and each adult bug can eat 2 large loopers per day. Adult Podisus are highly mobile. They will spread rapidly throughout the crop by walking and flying. Nymphs can quickly walk from plant to plant. Podisus in vermiculite-filled bottles can be successfully stored at 5°C (41°F) for up to 10 days However, we recommend applying these insects, like any live organism, within 24 hours of receipt.

Keep cold and out of sun until release. If storing for more than one day, store at 5°C (41°F). Cold store for no longer than 10 days. Distribute on host plant by gently shaking bottle to distribute nymphs then open bottle and sprinkling mixture of nymphs and vermiculite evenly throughout the crop.

Release Rates:
Per lightly infested plant release rate is 1.

Per heavily infested plant 5-10.

Release should be made evenly throughout the crop to reduce cannibalism and to increase predation efficiency.

Lifespan:
Depends on both temperature and prey availability. Development from egg to adult is 76 days at 15°C (60°F), 29 days at 23°C (73°F) and 17 days at 30°C (85°F). Average adult life span is 50 to 80 days.

Strategic Considerations:
The following pesticides are extremely harmful to Podisus: Admire (imidacloprid), DDVP (dichlorvos), Lannate (cypermethrin) and Thiodan (endosulfan), Many other pesticides have not been tested for their effect on Podisus. A complete list of the effects of tested pesticides is available on request.