Oviposition Behavior of <i>Helopeltis bakeri</i> Poppius (Hemiptera: Miridae)

ABSTRACT Diseases and pests lead to significant production losses in the global cocoa industry. In the Philippines, a key pest impacting this valuable crop is Helopeltis bakeri Poppius. Although considerable research has focused on its life history and mating behavior, the specifics of its oviposition (egg‐laying) behavior remain inadequately understood. Gaining insight into the factors that influence a female's choice of egg‐laying sites is essential for effective pest management and the development of rearing protocols for this pest. Analysis using a Negative Binomial generalized linear model revealed a 5% increase in egg production over time ( p &lt; 0.05), consistent with heightened reproductive and oviposition frequency during twilight periods. The results further indicated that oviposition varies significantly among different plant parts ( p &lt; 0.001), with a clear preference for petioles and internodes based on their physical characteristics rather than nutrient availability. We investigated oviposition behavior using the Behavioral Observation Research Interactive Software (BORIS) and created adjacency matrices for each sex using the igraph package in R. Overall, the oviposition sequence of H. bakeri followed a stereotyped progression of substrate examination → ovipositor unsheathing → ovipositor insertion → abdominal contractions → ovipositor withdrawal, with high transitional probabilities between successive steps, indicating a structured and directed oviposition process. Our findings also underscore the significance of rostrum‐ and stylet‐probing in evaluating suitable oviposition substrates, highlighting the chemosensory function of gustatory sensilla.