Effect of Substrata and Age of Menochilus sexmaculata (Fabr.) (Coleoptera:Coccinellidae) on its Oviposition

Adults of Menochilus sexmaculata (Fabr.) reared on the striped mealybug, Ferrisia virgata (Cockerell) showed no particular preference to different substrata Viz., jar surface, tissue paper or potato as indicated by the percentage of egg-laying which was 36.51, 36.23 and 29.10, respectively. However, when fed on aphids [Lipaphis erysimi (Kalt.) and Aphis gossypit Glover] it preferred to lay maximum eggs (71.75%) on cotton twigs. Rearing of M. sexmaculata either on mealybug using tissue paper or aphids with cotton twigs as substrata upto 4th week (Productive age) may be adopted as 73.44-81.47 % eggs with 91.35-100.00 % hatching are obtained In this period. Thereafter, adults may be discarded In order to save laboratory host.