Seasonal Occurrence and Ovarian Development of Bean Bug, Riptortus clavatus

Abstract

Seasonal occurrence and ovarian development of the bean bug, Riptortus clavatus Thunberg (Heteroptera: Alydidae), were studied at a soybean field and an university campus in which host plants are less available for the bug in Gyeongnam province with aggregation pheromone traps in 2004. It was assumed that the bug passed three generations per year at the university campus. Adults of the 1st generation might occur from early July to early August and that of the 2nd one from mid August to late September. Adults of the 3rd generation occurred from early October to mid November, entered reproductive diapause without carrying eggs in the ovaries of females during winter, and resumed activity from late March of the next year. Full-grown eggs in the ovaries of the overwintered females were first observed at the 1st half of May. Two peaks of occurrence, from early August to mid September and from mid October to mid November, were shown at soybean field that was sowed on May 24. The two peaks almost corresponded to those of the 2nd and 3rd generations at the university campus, respectively.