Effect of Feeding Type on Some Biological Aspects of Aphid Lion, Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera:Chrysopidae) under Laboratory Conditions

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Cept. Applied Entomology and Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University.

2 Department of Applied Entomology and Zoology

3 Cept. Applied Entomology and Zoology, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University

Abstract

The green lacewings, Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) is a common polyphagous predator for many insect pests in different agricultural crops. Effects of different hosts (preys) on biology of C. carnea were carried out under laboratory conditions at 25 ± 2ºC, 60±5 % RH and 16L: 8D hours. The natural preys were: Frozen eggs of Angoumois grain moth (Sitotroga cerealella), the cotton aphid) Aphis gossypii) and both of eggs and larvae of cotton leaf worm (Spodoptera littoralis). Results showed that the shortest period from first instar to adult emergence was (16.90±1.09 days) when larvae fed on eggs of S. cerealella followed by A. gossypii (20.60±1.99 days), larvae and eggs of S. littoralis were (25.46±2.27days) and (26.83±2.24 days), respectively. The highest fecundity per female was when fed on eggs of S. cerealella (471.30±103.74 eggs), followed by A. gossypii (392.70±80.54 eggs), larvae and eggs of S. littoralis were (277.60±36.02 larvae) and (212.40±35.88 eggs), respectively. The highest significant hatchability observed when larvae of C. carnea fed on eggs of S. cerealella (92.97%). Therefore results indicate the possibility of the rearing of the green lacewing, C. carnea on eggs of S. cerealella to enhance its biological aspects and applying it in large –scale release operations. In addition, the biological parameters of C. carnea adults studied to check the effect of different diets under laboratory conditions. The three tested diets were (honey, soybean and water), (honey, pollen of corn and water) (honey, milk and water) and (honey, yeast and water) as a control. The results showed that the highest fecundity was (321.40± 14.92( eggs per female with )5.94±0.88( eggs per day per single female and highest hatchability (91.41±7.95%) when fed on (honey, soybean and water). While, the data showed that the longest mean longevity of female and male of the predator, C. carnea were (92.10±9.98 and 56.00±11.26 days) respectively, when adults fed on (honey, pollen of corn and water). Generally, improvement of laboratory diets for C. carnea may positively serve mass rearing production and biocontrol plans.

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Alexandria Science Exchange Journal
Volume 45, Issue 3
The Third Scientific Forum for Egyptian Entomologists (Insects in Our Life)
October 2024
Pages 21-34

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