The cotton stainer bug Dysdercus peruvianus (Gue´rin-Mene´ville) causes serious damage to cotton seeds by feeding and staining the fibers. Artrhopod pests in cotton crops cause heavy economic losses, reaching 75% for
upland cotton and 35% for perennial cotton in Brazil (Ramalho 1994), which results in about 49% crop loss caused specifically by Dysdercus spp. In addition, D. peruvianus is an important vector of phytopathogenic bacteria
and fungi (i.e. Colletotrichum gossypii) (Gallo 1988). Their life cycle from egg to adult has 5 nymphal stages and takes 28–32 days at 28C (Milano et al. 1999).