Biology and feeding potential of Micromus australis Hagen on sorghum aphid, Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner)

Biology and feeding potential of Micromus australis Hagen (Neuroptera: Hemerobiidae) was studied under laboratory conditions on Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner), The predator was observed to pass through three larval instars. On an average first, second and third instars lasted for 2.00 ± 0.0, 1.35 ± 0.49 and 1.76 ± 0.44 days and consumed 58.82 ± 9.68, 67.47 ± 24.56 and 96.18 ± 20.15 aphids, respectively. The fecundity was 818.90 ± 331.81 eggs/female. The individual larvae consumed 213.18 ± 21.95 aphid nymphs to complete the larval duration (5.12 ± 0.49 days) and an adult consumed on an average 585,24 ± 120.49 aphid nymphs over a period of 41.75 ± 11.36 days. Per day consumption of the aphids was 41.82 ± 4.18 and 14,02 ± 9.41 by larva and adult, respectively.