Entomologia Croatica, Vol. 6 No. 1-2, 2002.
Original scientific paper
MASS REARING OF RHYNOCORIS MARGINATUS FAB. ON LIVE AND FROZEN LARVAE OF CORCYRA CEPHALONICA STAINTON
Kitherian Sahayaraj
; Crop Protection Research Centre, Tamil Nadu, India
T. Jeyalekshmi
; Crop Protection Research Centre, Tamil Nadu, India
Abstract
Rhynocoris marginatus (Fab.) is a predator of larvae and nymphs of many pestiferous insects for which natural enemies are not cummerciaİly available. This paper describes a containerised laboratory mass-rearing method for R. marginatus using refrigerated-killed larvae of Corcyra cephalonica Stainton (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Cold-killed larvae prolong the nymphal developmental period; reduce the fecundity and hatchability, net reproductive rate and pre-oviposition time. The rearing method avoids the need for live insect prey, reduce the predatory rate and labour efficient. Frozen larvae had no impact on female body weight, innate capacity for increase in number, corrected generation time, weekly multiplication and doubling time. Cold- killed C. cephalonica larvae provided predator oviposit latter and laid eggs for many days and also reduce the nymphal mortality. Predatory behaviour studies show that this predator predates both alive and cold-killed preys.
Keywords
Rhynocoris marginatus; laboratory rearing; Corcyra cephalonica; frozen larvae; biology; fecundity; predatory behaviour; life table
Hrčak ID:
283909
URI
Publication date:
31.1.2003.
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