[Objectives]  To clarify the preferences of Orius minutus (Linnaeus) for 4 prey species. [Methods]  No-choice and choice tests were used to determine the preference index (C_i) of newly-hatched nymphs, newly-molting 5th instar nymphs, and newly-emerged female adults, of O. minutus for 4 species of prey; adult Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Boisduval), low-instar Myzus persicae (Sulzer) nymphs, 2nd instar Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) nymphs, and 2nd to 3rd instar Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) nymphs. [Results]  In no-choice tests, more 2nd instar F. occidentalis nymphs and adult T. cinnabarinus were consumed per day (14.20 individuals/d and 12.40 individuals/d, respectively) by newly-hatched nymphs than other prey types. Newly-molting 5th instar nymphs consumed 44.40 T. cinnabarinus adults/d and newly-emerged female adults consumed 37.20 T. cinnabarinus adults/d, the highest consumption rate among the 4 prey types offered. In choice tests, newly-hatched nymphs preferred both 2nd instar F. occidentalis nymphs and adult T. cinnabarinus with no significant difference in the C_i for these prey types. Newly-molting 5th instar nymphs and newly-emerged female adults preferred 2nd instar F. occidentalis nymphs and low-instar M. persicae nymphs, and the C_i for 2nd instar F. occidentalis nymphs was significantly higher than that for low-instar M. persicae nymphs. [Conclusion]  Of the four prey types evaluated, O. minutus consumed the most T. cinnabarinus, followed by F. occidentalis, however, its most preferred prey was F. occidentalis.