Chrysopidae Research Articles

A roving survey was undertaken during 2024–25 in major ginger growing areas of Shivamogga district, viz., Beeranakere and Ayanuru (Shivamogga taluk), Taralaghatta and Saluru (Shikaripura taluk), Baluru and Arasalu (Hosanagara taluk), Kolgunisi and Anavatti (Soraba taluk), and Iruvakki and Hosakoppa (Sagara taluk), to record the occurrence of insect pests and their natural enemies in the ginger ecosystem. The results revealed that the shoot borer, Conogethes punctiferalis, was the predominant and most destructive pest with incidence ranging from 3.19 to 5.70 per cent, highest in Taralaghatta village. Other pests recorded included leaf roller (Udaspes sp.), thrips (Panchaetothrips sp.), rhizome fly (Mimegralla coeruleifrons), leaf beetles (Altica cyanea, Monolepta signata), weevils (Myllocerus sp.), and leaf eating caterpillars (Spilarctia obliqua, Spodoptera litura), with varied levels of infestation across locations and varieties. Among the ginger varieties, Rio-de-Janeiro was more susceptible to shoot borer and leaf roller, while Himachal showed higher incidence of thrips, rhizome fly, leaf beetles, weevils, and leaf eating caterpillars. Natural enemies recorded during the survey included coccinellids (Cheilomenes sexmaculata, Coccinella transversalis, Anegleis cardoni), spiders (Araneus sp., Neoscona sp., Pardosa sp.), and green lacewings (Chrysoperla sp.). Coccinellids were most abundant in Taralaghatta, while spiders were highest in Taralaghatta and Saluru, and green lacewings in Iruvakki. The survey thus highlighted the prevalence of C. punctiferalis as the major pest of ginger in Shivamogga, along with a complex of secondary pests and their associated natural enemies.

Do Changes in Photoperiodic Induction of Diapause in a Green Lacewing (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) Coincide with Changing Regional Temperatures?

Photoperiod is a critical environmental factor for insect development and physiology, yet little is known about the effects of photoperiodic signals received during photoperiod-sensitive stages on reproductive parameters. The green lacewing, Chrysoperla nipponensis, is a promising candidate for mass rearing in biological control. Photoperiod is the primary environmental factor influencing C. nipponensis reproductive diapause. This study investigates how photoperiodic cues during photoperiod-sensitive stages affect key reproductive parameters such as fecundity, lifespan, oviposition duration, oviposition rate, diapause rate, pre-oviposition period, and lipid content of C. nipponensis. The results showed that short-day conditions (Light:Dark = 9h:15h; L9:D15) during pre-adult stages increase total lipid and triglyceride levels in both third larvae and newly emerged females, thereby enhancing fecundity of female, without reducing lifespan or oviposition. Furthermore, long-day conditions (Light:Dark = 15h:9h; L15:D9) during the pre-adult stage inhibited diapause, while increasing fecundity and extending oviposition duration. Our findings demonstrate that photoperiodic signals during the pre-adult stages significantly affect the reproductive parameters of C. nipponensis, which advances the understanding of photoperiod-dependent reproductive diapause and offers novel insights for optimizing strategies in mass-rearing of natural enemies.

This study was conducted at College of Sciences-Mustansiriyah University, aimed to examine the functional response of predator green lacewing, Chrysoperla carnea (Stefens) (Neuroptera: chrysopidae) The predator is one of the important natural enemies of members of the family Gelechiidae eggs. Result obtained showed that the curves of functional response of the predator green lacewing, C. carnea larvae on various densities of tomato moth, Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) eggs showed that the larvae of predator belong to second type (Cyrtoid) of functional response. The rate of attack coefficient (a) increased, whereas the handling time (Th) was reduced, and the highest attack coefficient was 2.558 for the 2nd larval stage and the lowest attack coefficient was 1.509 for the 3rd larval stage. However, the highest handling time was 23.274 minutes for 2nd larval stage and the lowest handling time was 10.651 minutes for 1st larval stage. Keywords: Handling time, attack coefficient, Chrysoperla carnea, Tuta absoluta, functional response.

Abstract Western bean cutworm, Striacosta albicosta (Smith; Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a major pest of corn and dry beans in its historic and expanded ranges in the North American western Great Plains and Great Lakes Region, respectively. In corn, S. albicosta ear feeding damage can significantly reduce yield and introduce avenues for secondary fungal infections. Management practices currently rely on transgenic crops expressing effective Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) protein, of which only the VIP3A protein is effective against S. albicosta, and/or labor‐intensive scouting and chemical control. However, limited research on biological control options for this critical pest has been conducted. This study identifies key trophic interactions between S. albicosta and predatory arthropods in corn fields. Field surveys identified a community of 21 predator taxa present in Nebraska corn fields where S. albicosta eggs and larvae were present. The most common taxa were as follows: Hippodamia convergens (Guérin‐Méneville; Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Coleomegilla maculata (De Geer; Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Orius insidiosus (Say; Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), and green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). Additionally, molecular gut‐content analysis via PCR confirmed the predation of S. albicosta by several well‐known biological control agents, including H. convergens, O. insidiosus, C. maculata, and Chrysopidae larvae and adults. Coleomegilla maculata consumed more S. albicosta eggs and larvae than H. convergens in feeding trials, although egg consumption by C. maculata was unaffected by the presence of corn pollen, an important supplemental food for this species. Exploring the trophic interactions between S. albicosta and its predators will provide information necessary to improve conservation biological control for S. albicosta integrated pest management.

The present research aimed to study the efficiency of the indigenous generalist predator, Chrysoperla carnea, for the management of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, infesting cucumber, Cucumis sativus plants in greenhouses. The most effective predator stage was determined by placing egg cards and releasing different larval instars (1<sup>st</sup>, 2<sup>nd</sup>, and 3<sup>rd</sup>) with a release ratio of 1:20 for T. urticae management. The population reduction percentage of T. urticae was 5%, 41%, and 47% after four, eight, and 12 days of 1<sup>st</sup> larval instar release as compared to egg cards. Among the three larval instars, the 2<sup>nd</sup> and 3<sup>rd</sup> instars significantly reduced the T. urticae population after eight days, with 75% and 79% population reduction percentages, respectively. Furthermore, less visual damage and webbing density per plant of T. urticae were observed where 2<sup>nd</sup> instar larvae were released. The 2<sup>nd</sup> instar larva was further evaluated with three predator-prey release ratios to manage T. urticae population on C. sativus plants in the greenhouse. The T. urticae population reduction percentages were 66%, 61%, and 24% at the release ratio of 1:30, 1:60, and 1:90, respectively, after 12 days of predator release. Moreover, less visual damage and localized webbing on leaf per plant was observed for the release ratio of 1:30. The outcomes of the present study showed that the 2<sup>nd</sup> instar larvae of the indigenous predator, C. carnea, could potentially manage the T. urticae infestation on greenhouse crops.

Green lacewing (Chrysoperla carnea) is a generalist and voracious predator that consumes wide range of insect pests such as aphids, mites, coccids and mealy bugs in the biological control of Integrated Pest Management (IPM). The experiment was carried out to observe the effect of different concentrations 25, 50 and 75 ppm of Lambda-cyhalothrin on 1st, 2nd and 3rd larval instars of Chrysoperla carnea in 2019. The minimum mortality of 1st larval instar was seen 25 % after 48 hrs by 25 ppm while the maximum 100 % mortality was brought by 75 ppm. The effect of these concentrations on 2nd larval instar revealed that the minimum death 25 % was seen after 24 hrs. at 25 ppm and the maximum mortality 100 % brought by 75 ppm during 1st week. The effect against 3rd larval instar at the highest dose (75 ppm), the absolute mortality was observed after 72 hrs. In control, up to 25 % mortaliy was recorded after 72 hrs. in all larval stages, respectively. The dose (10 ppm) was less toxic against the 1st, 2nd and 3rd larval stages of C. carnea. It shows the values of LC50 2.18, 1.90 and 1.44 ppm C. carnea−1 with its fiducial limit ranges. Similarly, at the highest dose (75 ppm), the value of LC50 was 1.91, 1.66 and 1.16 C. carnea−1 with its fiducial limit ranges against 1st, 2nd and 3rd larval instars, respectively. The values of LC50 were showed 1.83, 1.44 and 1.39 ppm C. carnea−1 with its fiducial limit ranges at the moderate dose (50 ppm) against different larval stages. In control (0 ppm), the LC50 was 2.63 ppm C. carnea−1 with its fiducial limit ranges in all larval instars. There were seen significant mortality against 1st, 2nd and 3rd larval instars of green lacewing (P < 0.005) between the treatments and intervals, respectively.

Insect pests are a serious constraint on global wheat production. Pests can significantly impair agricultural output and quality. Among the several biotic and abiotic elements, insect pest damage results in a significant reduction in yield. Aphids are a severe wheat pest that can cause significant crop damage. Aphids can cause wheat damage through direct feeding, viral vectoring, and honeydew emission, which can result in fungal infections. The study analyzed the correlation between insect pests, specifically corn and wheat aphids, and their natural enemies in wheat during the Rabi seasons of 2023-24 and 2024-25. The experiment was conducted at the Instructional Experimental Farm, Agricultural Research Station, India. The population dynamics of major insect pests of wheat and their natural enemies was recorded at weekly interval right from appearance to till maturity of crop. The data recorded on the population of major insect pests and natural enemies were used for statistical analysis. The correlation was computed among the population of major insect pests, natural enemies using the standard formula. The syrphid fly showed strong positive relationships with both species, indicating their effectiveness as biological control agents. The ladybird beetles revealed a stronger positive correlation with wheat aphids, suggesting they may prefer them. Green Lacewing larvae also showed positive correlations with both species, with Wheat aphids showing higher values. The findings highlight the importance of conserving and enhancing populations of Syrphid Flies, Lady Bird Beetles, and Green Lacewings in wheat cusltivation to promote sustainable pest management strategies. Further research could explore how abiotic factors such as temperature, humidity, and rainfall modulate these relationships to optimize integrated pest management (IPM) approaches.

The green lacewing Chrysoperla zastrowi sillemi (Esben-Peterson) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), a polyphagous predator, is an effective biocontrol agent against various aphid species. Its efficacy was assessed against Pterochloroides persicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae), a major pest of peach and nectarine orchards. This study investigates the developmental biology, population growth parameters, host-kill dynamics, and aphid consumption by C. zastrowi sillemi when fed on P. persicae. The development of C. zastrowi sillemi stages was recorded, with egg, larval instar, and adult durations averaging 2.21, 3.71, 2.29, and 3.21 days, respectively. Adult longevity was 34.33 days for males and 42.12 days for females. The female pre-ovipositional period was 6.25 days, with a total ovipositional period of 21.88 days. Population growth parameters indicated a true generation time of 35.39 ± 0.322 days, intrinsic rate of increase of 0.110 and a net reproductive rate of 52.64. A total fecundity of 131.77 eggs per female was recorded. The consumption of P. persicae by the first, second and third larval instars of C. zastrowi sillemi was 18.36, 25.07, and 85.21 aphids, respectively, with the third instar being the most voracious. The net predation rate was 90.868 aphids per day, with a transformation rate of 1.84 aphids per offspring produced. These results highlight the probability of C. zastrowi sillemi as a potential biocontrol agent for P. persicae management in agro-ecosystems, offering insights into its predation behaviour, reproductive parameters and will be useful in conducting further field evaluations before formulating it in integrated pest management programme.

Abstract The sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), is one of the most important pests of sugarcane in the Americas. Among its natural enemies, green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) are frequently observed in infested fields, where they actively prey on this pest. Despite their potential, the effectiveness of lacewings against different developmental stages of D. saccharalis must be assessed before their incorporation into augmentative biological control programs. In this study, laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate how the developmental stage of D. saccharalis influences the functional response of first-, second-, and third-instar larvae of Chrysoperla externa (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). Since Diatraea saccharalis larvae initially feed on leaves and only penetrate the stalk after the second instar, eggs and neonate larvae were used in the experiments. Attack rates, handling times, and the number of prey consumed were recorded over a 24-hour period at eight prey densities (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, and 128 individuals), using either eggs or larvae as prey. First- and second-instars C. externa exhibited a Type III functional response when preying on D. saccharalis eggs, and a Type II response when preying on larvae. In contrast, third-instar larvae showed a Type II response for both prey types. Attack rates were similar between eggs (0.0079/h) and larvae (0.0095/h), while lower handling times (0.2048 h for eggs and 0.2168 h for larvae) and higher estimated numbers of prey attacked (117.2 eggs and 110.7 larvae) were observed for third instars. Overall, our laboratory results indicate that C. externa has potential as a biological control agent for D. saccharalis .

To investigate the flight characteristics and the aerodynamic interactions of a kind of four-winged insect, lacewings (Chrysoperla nipponensis), we experimentally measured the morphological and kinematic parameters in a near-hovering state and numerically calculated the aerodynamic forces and power consumption. It was found that lacewings flap their forewings and hindwings at the same frequency with a constant phase difference (∼30°). Both wings rely on the leading-edge vortex mechanism to produce most of their aerodynamic force during mid-stroke. Comparative analyses of aerodynamic interactions reveal that body motion and contralateral wings have minimal impact on overall aerodynamic performance. However, ipsilateral wings reduce total vertical force by 6%, primarily due to an 18% decrease in hindwing force caused by forewing downwash. Under real-world conditions, hindwings generate approximately 20% less vertical force, leading to a net 6% reduction in total vertical force. All tested specimens satisfied force equilibrium criteria, validating both numerical and experimental approaches. Notably, no kinematic or aerodynamic evidence supports the presence of the clap and fling mechanism. Green lacewings exhibit efficient flight with relatively low power consumption, maintaining near-hovering flight at an energy cost of ∼14 W/kg. The reduced aerodynamic efficiency of the hindwings only slightly increases the total power consumption.

Insect pests significantly restrict agricultural and horticultural productivity, which results in the widespread use of synthetic pesticides. The adverse effects of chemical management, such as insect resistance, environmental contamination, and harm to non-target species, emphasize the need for sustainable alternatives. Vertebrates and predatory arthropods are crucial to the biological control of pests in integrated pest management (IPM) systems. This review examines the ecological and functional significance of key predatory taxa, including coccinellid beetles (e.g., Coccinella septempunctata, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri), predatory mites (Phytoseiulus persimilis, Amblyseius swirskii), green lacewings (Chrysoperla zastrowi sillemi), predatory bugs (e.g., Orius spp., Cyrtorhinus lividipennis), spiders, and insectivorous birds. These predators effectively control populations of lepidopteran larvae, mealy bugs, thrips, mites, and aphids across a range of cropping regimes.

The predator Chrysoperla externa (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) has great potential for its use in biological pest control programs. In order to assist future biological control programs that use Chrysopidae as a control agent, this research aims to study the behaviour of the green lacewing, C. externa, consuming two-spotted spider mites, Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae). In the laboratory, experiments were carried out to determine the predation behaviour of C. externa on different densities of adults of the two-spotted spider mite, T. urticae (1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 prey). For comparison purposes, the behaviour of C. externa was also studied using eggs from the alternative prey Ephestia kuehniella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). The functional response was determined by logistic regression of the number of mites consumed as a function of the initial number of prey using polynomial logistic regression. The random equation was used to describe the parameters of the functional response. The predator C. externa showed a type II functional response consuming both E. kuehniella eggs and T. urticae adults. The results obtained will allow to define the best strategy for the use of green lacewings in the biological control of the two-spotted spider mite, T. urticae.

The intensive application of pesticides has multiple negative effects on soil health and plants quality and production. Many crops such as Cucumber, is an economically important crop which have many health benefits, is suffering from harmful infestation with variant phytophagous insect pests such as Aphis gossypii, Bemisia tabaci and Liriomyza trifolii. Thus, the objective of this study is to investigate the impact of two types of insecticide application on plant and soil properties. Therefore, the population densities of aphid, whitefly and leafminer infesting cucumber and two associated predators (lady beetle and green lacewing) were investigated under seed and foliar treatments of imidacloprid and thiamethoxam. Results indicated that the three studied insect pests reduced in each of foliar or seed treatments compared to control in almost sampling dates in the two seasons. Seed treatment delayed the appearance of the previous insect pests by 2 to 3 weeks by insignificant difference with foliar treatment in the two seasons. The use of imidacloprid and thiamethoxam as seed treatment with very low application rate will provide the farmers with an additional tool of IPM for control aphid, whitefly and leafminer on cucumber plants with less environmental effect and increased applicator and consumer safety compared to foliar application. In addition, seed treatment was less dangerous on predators than foliar one. As well as, it is concluded that the first insecticidal spray can replace by seed treatment to control the infestation in early plant stage. Moreover, the foliar application caused negative impact on soil properties. Consequently, the seed application was friendlier environment and more economics than foliar application on cucumber pest infection and soil health.

Among the four sucking pests; Aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch and jassid, Empoasca kerri exhibited their peak activity during the 19th SMW, with populations of 6.25 per and 3.20 per three leaves, respectively. The peak population of whitefly, Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (6.30/3 leaves), was observed during the 21st SMW. In the case of thrips, Megalurothrips usitatus, the population reached a peak level (4.20/3 flowers) during 21st SMW. Among various abiotic factors, wind velocity exhibited significant or highly significant positive correlation with sucking pests viz., aphid, jassid and whitefly incidence. Weather parameters viz., minimum temperature (r = 0.70), evening relative humidity (r = 0.79), and evaporation (r = 0.74), exerted a significant positive impact on thrips population in summer green gram. The ladybird beetle showed a highly significant positive correlation with A. craccivora (r = 0.92) and E. kerri (r = 0.92) populations. Green lacewing exhibited a highly significant and positive correlation with E. kerri (r = 0.91) incidence, whereas significant and positive correlation with A. craccivora (r = 0.751*) and B. tabaci (r = 0.790*) populations. The population of spiders showed a highly significant positive correlation with aphid (r = 0.98) and jassid (r = 0.94) populations in green gram crop.

Identification of biliverdin as a pigment involved in the seasonal variation of green lacewing body colour and the enzymes involved in its metabolism.

The aim of this study is to investigate the sublethal effects (LC30) of endosulfan on Chrysoperla carnea adults as an efficient natural enemy against the flour moth Ephestia kuehniella Zell (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) under laboratory conditions: (25±2°C temperature, relative humidity of 60±5% relative humidity, and 16:8 hours (light: dark) photoperiod), in a growth chamber. The results obtained showed a significant decrease in the LC30 concentration of Endosulfan during the biological life span of both sexes (male and female) of C. carnea compared to the control. The highest fecundity rate obtained for endosulfan treatment was 203.28 offspring/female compared to 316.31 offspring/female for the control treatment. The net reproduction rate (R0) of females treated with endosulfan was 140.18 offspring/individual/generation and was significantly lower than that of the control-treated females (253.04 offspring/individual/generation). The mean time of one generation (T) varied from 43.12 days in the control treatment to 38.70 days in the LC30 endosulfan treatment. Results obtained showed that the use of a sub-lethal concentration of endosulfan affects some biological parameters of the green lacewing predator C. carnea, which is useful information to consider when designing IPM programs for the flour moth. Keywords: Dynamic parameters, Chrysopidae, life history, sublethal concentration.

Insects are important for the ecosystem and human life as pollinators, decomposers, environmental bioindicators, and natural enemies of pests on plants. Conservation of beneficial insects is important to maintain the balance of the ecosystem and prevent the decline in species diversity. Insect hotels are conservation media designed to provide a place to live and breed beneficial insects, such as butterflies, bees, decomposing insects, ladybird beetles, and green lacewings. Insect hotels are made from various natural components, such as wood, bamboo, pine cones, and other materials that mimic the natural habitat of the target insects. This study aims to evaluate the functional suitability and performance of material components in insect hotels for beneficial insect conservation. The research method used is a literature study, where references are gathered from various sources, particularly previous studies. These references are then analyzed to draw conclusions regarding the suitability of material components used in insect hotels as a medium for conserving beneficial insects. The analysis process involves selecting, comparing, combining, and filtering data to obtain relevant results. The results of the analysis show that the components of the insect hotel materials are in accordance with the habitat of the targeted beneficial insects. Bamboo is used as a place for bees to live; wood with holes of 0.5–1.5 cm in diameter as a place for ladybird beetles to live; pine cones as a place for decomposer beetles to live; wood with a central square hole as a place for butterflies to live; and wood shavings as a place for green lacewings to live. This study shows that the components of the materials used in insect hotels are in accordance with the habitat of the targeted beneficial insects.

ABSTRACT This study assesses the whitefly Bemisia tabaci population and its natural enemies associated with irrigated okra cultivation in an arid environment at Oued M’lili in Biskra (Algeria). Bemisia tabaci is a sap-sucking insect. Monitoring insect population dynamics revealed ten species, belonging to four distinct families of predatory insects: the Coccinellidae represented by four species of ladybirds; the Chrysopidae family which is particularly defined by the green lacewing Chrysoperla carnea; the Hymenoptera family includes the Aphelinidae, with the main genus Eretmocerus; and Neuroptera, represented by two other genera Aphytis and Encarsia.

The present work assessed the effect of three nanoparticles materials; Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NP), silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SiO2NP) and iron oxide nanoparticles (FeO NP) with three different concentrations (500, 250 and 125ppm) on managing Egyptian cotton seedling pests Jassid pest Empoasca lybica (De Berg.) (Hemiptera:Cicadellidae), Whiteflies populations Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), Thrips pest Thrips tabaci Lindeman (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), Aphid (Aphis gossupii Glover), Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci Gennadius), Red spider pest Tetranychus telarius (L.) (Acari: Tetranychidae) and studying their effect on the natural enemies Ladybugs (Coccinellidae ladybug) and Chrysoperla carnea (aphid lion). Under field conditions during 2022 and 2023, the nanoparticles suspensions was sprayed at cotton plants (Gossypium) at the three different concentrations compared with untreated cotton plants as control, the results show that SiO2NP with its three concentrations have the most potent effect in decreasing jassid, aphid, thrips populations count during the two tested years. While TiO2NP has the second effect, FeO NP has the least effect on decreasing the previous pest count on cotton plants during the two tested years. On the other hand, TiO2NP has the most potent effect against the red spider population through its three concentrations, then SiO2 NP and FeONP come in the second and third stage, respectively during the two tested years. The three used nanoparticles and their effect on the ladybug's natural enemy was investigated. The results show there is no negative effect on the ladybug count compared with the untreated cotton plant control. Moreover, at the 250ppm FeONP and 125ppm TiO2NP concentrations, it was noticed that the count of Chrysoperla carnea (aphid lion) and ladybug increased during the two tested years, which led to a decrease in aphid count at this concentration compared with the two other concentrations. Nanoparticles have promising results in pest control as pesticide alternatives.