Bug eat bug

ipsita's picture
Submitted by ipsita on Sun, 1995-04-30 00:00

Researchers at the us Agriculture Department claim that pest population in grain stores can be controlled by increasing the population of a tiny insect-eating bug.

Lycotcoris Campestris -- the larger pirate bug -- is found in grain stores thriving on the insects that thrive on grain. According to entomologist Thomas Phillips, it can be removed from grain during processing.

This dark brown 0.3 cm-long bug kills pests 10 to 50 times its size within a minute by injecting poisonous saliva. It devours all but 2 species of grain pests.

L campestris can survive in subfreezing temperatures and reproduce as soon as they are warmed up. It starts gorging the moment it begins its 100-day life and can live without food or water for about 20 days.

thesaurus: 
Agriculture
Insects
Research
Main Topic: 
Agriculture
Name of the Newspaper: 
Down To Earth
Clipping Type: 
External URL: 
Main Type: 
dte
Publication Date: 
29/04/1995