Predation and parasitism on eggs of two pod‐sucking bugs, Nezara viridula and Piezodorus hybneri in soybean

Cohorts of newly laid egg masses of two pod‐sucking bugs, Nezara viridula and Piezodorus hybneri (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), were exposed to naturally occurring predators and parasitoids on soybean in unsprayed fields at four sites in Northern Sumatra. The fate of the young stages was recorded until the late first instar, before the nymphs start to disperse and feed. Partial life tables showed that mortality of N. viridula until the late first instar was 50–87%, of which 18–65% occurred during the egg stage and was mainly caused by predation; 2–26% of the eggs died of parasitism. P. hybneri which was present at only two sites, showed a 73–89% mortality until the late first instar, of which 69–85% was during the egg stage and, again, mainly caused by predation; 15–24% of the eggs died of parasitism. To evaluate the role of individual egg predator species in the field, we conducted hourly observations of exposed egg masses of the two pests. Dolichoderus sp., Solenopsis geminata (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Paederus sp. (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) and several gryllids (Orthoptera) were most commonly encountered feeding on the eggs. An index of ‘predation pressure”; was calculated from the densities of predators in the field and from an estimate of their attack rate based on field observations of predator feeding. Two sites with low predator pressures had low predation rates, while the two sites with high predation pressures had considerably higher predation rates. The implications of the findings for IPM training in soybean are discussed.