Development of Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), a Predator of Mealybugs on Freeze-Dried Artificial Diet

Development of Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) was studied on a freeze-dried artificial diet devoid of insect components. The artificial diet was composed of beef liver (5 g), hen's egg yolk (5g), sucrose (1g), honey (1g), hydrolysed yeast (1g), milk powder (0.5g), brewer's yeast (0.5g), groundnut oil (0.3g), multivitamin (0.04g). vitamin E (0.04g), nipbagine (0.004g) and water (16 ml). Biological attributes of the artificial diet reared C. montrouzieri were compared with the mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) reared. Mean adult emergence of the predators reared on artificial diet and mealybug reared were 58.0 and 90.0 per cent, respectively. Differences in developmental period, adult weight and female emergence between artificial diet and mealybug reared predators were non-significant. Pre-ovipositional period of the predators reared on artificial diet was significantly longer than the mealybug reared. The mean fecundity of artificial diet reared predator was only 8 eggs/female, which was significantly lower than the mealybug reared (204eggs/female). Artificial diet reared predators laid fertile eggs and the mean viability of the eggs was 93.0 per cent, which was not significantly different from the mealybug reared (94.0 %).