The effects of diverse host plants on the development, survival and fecundity of the cotton mirid Adelphocoris suturalis Jakovlev （Hemiptera: Miridae）was evaluated using life table methods. A. suturalis was reared on kidney bean, soybean, cowpea, alfalfa, transgenic Bt cotton 99B and non-transgenic cotton Shiyuan 321 in the laboratory with natural illumination, temperature 26℃±1℃ and the relative humidity 75%±5%. The mean duration of development, survival rate of each stadium, body mass of 5th instars, longevity of adults, preoviposition duration, oviposition duration, and fecundity of female A. suturalis were significantly different amongst the six host plant types. Based on the life-table parameters, host plant suitability for development and reproduction of A. suturalis was highest on kidney bean, followed by alfalfa, transgenic Bt cotton 99B, non-transgenic cotton Shiyuan 321, cowpea, and lowest on soybean. The present study indicates that transgenic Bt cotton has no resistance to A. suturalis. In the field, A. suturalis preferred to feed on cowpeas and this host plant could be planted around the cotton field as a trap crop.