Temperature-dependent Development Model of Pest Wheat Bugs Eurygaster and Aelia spp. (Heteroptera: Scutelleridae and Pentatomidae)

The Sunn pests or wheat bugs (Heteroptera) of the families Scutelleridae and Pentatomidae are one of the most important pests in wheat and barley, present in the Province of Vojvodina, Serbia for many decades. The three main pest wheat bug species, Eurygaster austriaca Schrk., E. maura L. and Aelia acuminata L., were observed in the laboratory conditions, concerning their biology and development. The overwintered adults were collected from the fields and raised in the laboratory, until the occurrence of next generation adults. According to the environmental temperature, a temperature-development model for pre-immature life stages, embryonic and nymphal development was made and shown with hyperbolas. The threshold temperatures for each of the species were calculated, as well as the thermal constants which represent the quantity of heat necessary for successful embryonic and larval development. The results of this survey show that species E. maura has the highest requirements for temperature during both embryonic and nymphs development. The following is the sibling species E. austriaca, requiring a bit less temperatures sum during the development of embryos and nymphs, while the species A. acuminata has the least requirements for temperature during its embryonic development.