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Zoophytophagous bugs feed on both arthropod pests and plants, and can survive or reproduce solely on particular plants. This characteristic ensures their survival when released as natural enemies when the density of target pests is low. When using zoophytophagous bugs, exotic species or strains should be avoided as biological control agents due to their ecological risks. This study reviews investigations of indigenous Orius species and indigenous strains of N. tenuis and their exploitations as biological control agents in Japan. Orius strigicollis, which can reproduce under short-day conditions, is recommended for augmentative biological control in greenhouses. Orius sauteri, the predominant and most abundant species in the field, is not recommended for releases in greenhouses because it enters diapause under short-day conditions. However, this species can be used for conservation biological control in the field, where the bug can be preserved through the use of selective pesticides or by conserving companion plants. Violet light illumination is a promising tool to manipulate the movement of this species in the field. Nesidiocoris tenuis occurs only in the southern region of Japan, and its density in the field is low. This bug can be used for augmentative biological control in greenhouses. It can reproduce on specific plants, including Sesamum indicum, Cleome hassleriana, Verbena × hybrida, and Scaevola aemula. These plants can be used as banker plants to improve the establishment and reproduction of N. tenuis in greenhouses. Indigenous Orius species and Nesidiocoris tenuis are promising biological control agents in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Nesidiocoris tenuis (Hemiptera: Miridae) is an important biocontrol agent of several key arthropod pests, such as greenhouse and tobacco whiteflies, the South American tomato pinworm, thrips, plant mites, and other pests in the greenhouse. However, optimizing N. tenuis utilization in the greenhouse to control greenhouse pests such as whiteflies still needs further studies, especially in Japan. Here, we showed that factitious supplementary dietary in the form of Artemia cysts enhanced with high fructose corn syrup and honey, and delivered using a hemp rope could promote N. tenuis proliferation and spread among tomato plants. Nesidiocoris tenuis spread among tomato plants therefore, can maintain whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) eggs and nymph numbers at minimum in the greenhouse conditions. Natural predators such as Nesidiocoris tenuis are known for their role in managing greenhouse pests. However, techniques in maximizing the biological control potential of N. tenuis under field conditions are still lacking. We evaluated under greenhouse conditions the prospects of Artemia cysts enhanced with high fructose corn syrup and honey, and delivered using hemp strings (hemp rope) as supplementary factitious dietary in augmenting the proliferation and spread of N. tenuis on tomato plants. Results showed that N. tenuis supplemented with hemp rope could establish, proliferate and disperse among tomato plants compared to the N. tenuis supplemented with banker plants. Even though N. tenuis proliferated exponentially on banker plants, their movement and relocation to tomato plants, as expected, were only congested on tomato plants near the banker plants. However, as the survey continued, they relocated to the rest of the tomato plants. Furthermore, the number of Bemisia tabaci eggs and nymphs, a serious greenhouse pest of tomato, was observed to be significantly reduced in hemp rope greenhouse compared to banker plants and the negative control (no pest control system) greenhouses. This study, therefore, establishes foundational data on the usage of Artemia cysts enhanced with isomerized sugar (high fructose corn syrup) and honey under greenhouse conditions as factitious supplementary dietary in supporting N. tenuis establishment and spread, traits that are essential towards development of whitefly Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system. enhanced with isomerized sugar (high fructose corn syrup) and honey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]