Feeding potential of Coccinella septempunctata Linn. on woolly apple aphid, Eriosoma lanigerum Hausmann

The feeding efficiency of the predator, Cocclnella septempunctata Linn. Increased progressively on Eriosoma lanlgerum Haus. with the development of grub stages of the predator. The consumption of woolly aphid by the grub uniformly decreased with increase in size of woolly aphid at all stages of the grub. The number of 1^st instar woolly aphid consumed by 1^st to V^th instar grub varied from 10.00 to 33.00 during 2000 and 8.00 to 31.60 during 2001, respectively. The consumption of IV^th instar woolly aphid by the 1^st to IV^th instar grub was lowest which varied from 0.00 to 8.60 in 2000 and 0.00 to 6.97 in 2001, respectively. Feeding potential of female beetle was comparatively higher than male. The 1^st instar woolly aphid consumed by male beetle was 60.60 during 2000 and 57.60 during 2001 while female beetle consumed 93.30 in 2000 and 96.60 in 2001.