An Efficient Breeding Method for Eupeodes corollae (Diptera: Syrphidae), a Pollinator and Insect Natural Enemy in Facility-Horticulture Crops

Abstract

Facility horticulture plays a crucial role in modern agriculture by utilizing the environment efficiently and ensuring food supply. The hoverfly Eupeodes corollae (Fabricius) (Diptera: Syrphidae) performs a dual ecological function in facility agriculture as larvae prey on aphids and adults pollinate, but it is not widely applied in agriculture due to the lack of a large-scale breeding technology. In this study, we investigated the effects of different factors on the development and reproduction of the prey (i.e., aphids), eggs, larvae, pupae and adults of E. corollae, and determined its propagation techniques. We transferred five pairs of newly emerging E. corollae adults and 40 broad bean plantlets infested with Aphis craccivora Koch to an insect cage. Aphid-infested broad bean seedlings were replaced each day to encourage E. corollae reproduction. Following hatching, we fed the E. corollae larvae with mixed populations of Myzus persicae (Sulzer), Megour japonica Matsumura and A. craccivora in insect boxes, and covered E. corollae pupae with fresh broad bean leaves. Based on the experiment results, an average female E. corollae produced 584.9 eggs. Survival, pupation and emergence rates were 91.1%, 100% and 96.3%, respectively. In conclusion, each pair of E. corollae adults produced 391 adult offspring (58.8% females). This research supplies an optimized mass-breeding technique for commercial production of the hoverfly, which will be helpful to promote its application in the production of green fruits and vegetables.