REARING OF Mallada astur (Banks) (NEUROPTERA : CHRYSOPIDAE) ON A SEMI-SYNTHETIC DIET

Abstract

Mallada astur (Banks), an important predator of sucking pests in  horticultural ecosystems, was reared on a larval semi-synthetic diet comprising hen‘s egg  yolk (64.6 g), hydrolysed soyabean powder (2.6 g), honey (32.2 g), yeast extract (2.6 g),  niphagine (0.05 g), petroleumjelly (1.4 g), paraffin wax (l9.3 g) and distilled water (77.4  ml). Biological attributes of M. astur on reared semi-synthetic diet was compared with  the host insect reared. Semi-synthetic diet reared predators laid highly fertile eggs (88.0  to 90.0%) similar to host insect reared predators. Duration of the larval stage is lengthened  when reared on semi~synthetic diet. Mean adult emergence (F0 to F3) of semi-synthetic  diet and host insect reared predator was 56.0% and 75.2% respectively and the adult  emergence decreased from F0 to F3 generations both in senri-synthetic and host insect  reared M, asmr. Difference in fecundity between semi-synthetic diet and host insect reared  predators was non-significant. The above findings revealed that M. nstur could be reared  using the semi-synthetic diet.