Preying Capacity Different Larval Instars of Green Lacewings, Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) on Different Hosts in Laboratory Conditions

The green lacewings, Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) is a cosmopolitan polyphagous predator, commonly found in agricultural systems. Chrysoperla spp. as predator has characteristics that make them one of the key predators for many insect pests in different agricultural crops with several credentials with these like larval tolerance to some insecticides. Keeping in mind the credential of Chrysopids utilization in management of soft bodied insects pests, including Aphid and mealy bug present investigation was carried out to study the preying capacity of various larval stages of Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) on different hosts i.e. eggs of Corcyra cephalonica, brinjal aphid (Myzus persicae) and mango mealy bug (Drosicha mangiferae), experiments were conducted under laboratory condition during 2013–14 in the Department of Entomology and Agricultural Zoology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India. Based on the results obtain it could be inferred that, undoubtedly the factitious host i.e. eggs of C. cephalonica was most suitable for rearing of Chrysopa, where 53.25, 220.6 and 430.5 of Corcyra eggs were consumed by 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd instars larvae of C. carnea. However, in absence of factitious host, the field hosts like different types of aphids and 1^st instar mealy bug preferred.