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Development and immature survival of two aphidophagous ladybirds, Coelophora biplagiata and Micraspis discolor
Author(s) -
PERVEZ AHMAD,
SINGH SATYENDRA K.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
insect science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.991
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1744-7917
pISSN - 1672-9609
DOI - 10.1111/j.1005-295x.2005.00046.x
Subject(s) - biology , aphid , pupa , sex ratio , rhopalosiphum maidis , aphis gossypii , larva , coccinellidae , aphis craccivora , predation , population , aphididae , homoptera , zoology , predator , botany , ecology , pest analysis , demography , sociology
The developmental parameters, namely developmental periods, larval survival, adult emergence, growth index, developmental rate and sex ratio in terms of female proportion in a population of two aphidophagous ladybirds, namely, Coelophora biplagiata (Swartz) and Micraspis discolor (Fabricius) were investigated, using three aphid species as prey. The immature stages of C. biplagiata were significantly affected by prey quality and developed fastest when fed on Aphis craccivora followed by Aphis gossypii and Rhopalosiphum maidis. The order of prey suitability in terms of developmental rate of immature stages of M. discolor was just reversed. The adult females were heavier than males, while pre‐pupae were heavier than pupae in both ladybirds. The sex ratio of adult emergence, though female‐biased in both ladybird species, was not significantly affected by prey quality.