Comparative biology, predation capacity and effect of an artificial diet on reproductive parameters of green lacewing Mallada boninensis (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

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Abstract Investigations were undertaken to clarify the biology of green lacewing Mallada boninensis on its hosts Helopeltis theivora and Oligonychus coffeae, which are two major arthropod pests of tea crop and on an artificial diet. No significant variations were recorded in terms of preoviposition period, oviposition period, oviposition rate, total eggs, hatching success, larval survival and adult emergence when M. boninensis was reared on both hosts. However, all larval instars and pupal development time, as well as adult longevity, were significantly shorter when M. boninesis was reared on H. theivora. We also provide the first report on the predatory potential of M. boninensis against H. theivora. The feeding efficiency of M. boninensis increased with the advancement of each developmental stage. The third‐instar larvae of M. boninensis consumed more H. theivora individuals (28.4 ± 1.50) than the first (7 ± 1.11) and second (24.2 ± 1.81) instars over its entire duration. The artificial diet produced significantly superior results in terms of fecundity, hatching success, larval survival and adult emergence when M. boninensis was reared on it compared with when it was reared on H. theivora and O. coffeae. The findings of the present study indicate that M. boninensis can be effectively utilized in integrated pest management programmes for controlling some major arthropod pests of tea by suitably mass rearing them followed by augmentative release.