["Archives of Insect Biochemistry and Physiology, Volume 121, Issue 4, April 2026. ", "Comparative evaluation of alternative diets shows that Tenebrio molitor larvae support development and reproduction of Nesidiocoris tenuis comparable to Cadra cautella eggs, whereas Artemia cysts reduce survival and prolong development, highlighting mealworms as a cost‐effective option for mass rearing.\n\n\n\n\n\nABSTRACT\nNesidiocoris tenuis is an important natural enemy widely used for the biological control of small pests in vegetable crop systems. Its successful implementation in commercial programs depends on reliable and cost‐effective mass rearing, which typically relies on pyralid moth eggs as a food source, although this is relatively expensive. In this study, we evaluated Tenebrio molitor larvae (mealworm) as a cost‐effective alternative diet for N. tenuis, comparing them with two commonly used factitious prey, Cadra cautella eggs and hydrated Artemia cysts. Nymphal survival (n = 30 per diet) was similar when reared on C. cautella (86.7%) or T. molitor (83.3%) but markedly lower with Artemia (33.3%). Developmental periods differed significantly among diets, increasing in the order C. cautella < T. molitor < Artemia. Adult longevity did not differ significantly among diets but was longer in males (25.11 ± 4.58 days) than in females (16.09 ± 1.62 days). Pre‐oviposition periods and fecundity also did not differ significantly among diets; however, reproductive parameters in the Artemia treatment group were based on a reduced sample size due to low survival and should be interpreted with caution. These results indicate that T. molitor larvae provide dietary performance comparable to that of C. cautella eggs, producing similar life‐history traits in N. tenuis, whereas hydrated Artemia cysts are unsuitable under the tested conditions due to significant nymphal mortality. Thus, mealworms could serve as a practical alternative diet to moth eggs for predatory bug rearing, offering a promising approach to improving cost‐effectiveness in natural enemy production."]