Development and Reproduction ofOlla v-nigrum(Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) FedAnagasta kuehniella(Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Eggs Supplemented with an Artificial Diet

Abstract

ABSTRACT Olla v-nigrum Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) preys on eggs and larvae of Coleoptera and Lepidoptera and on aphids in arboreal plants. Alternative prey supplemented with artificial diets may be used to mass rearing Coccinellidae predators for biological control programs. This study assessed the development and reproduction of O. v-nigrum fed Anagasta kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) eggs supplemented with an artificial diet. Adults of O. vnigrum were collected from Caesalpinia peltophoroides Benth. (Fabales: Fabaceae) and taken to the laboratory. Three male + female couples were fed on A. kuehniella eggs and an artificial diet (100 g of yeast, 40 g of honey, 0.5 g of ascorbic acid and 60 mL of water). Eight male + female couples obtained from this initial generation were subjected to the same procedure in order to assess the effects on subsequent generations. The mean number of eggs per egg mass was 11.7 ± 0.7 with a viability of 54.8 ± 2.9% and an incubation period of 3.1 ± 0.02 da...