Effect of Three Insecticides on the Biology of Green Lacewing, Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

Abstract

Chrysoperla carnea Stephens (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) is predator which has the potential to be used along with insecticides in an integrated crop management strategy. Experiments were carried out to study the effect of endosulfan (0.07%), imidacloprid (0.01%) and neem seed kernel extract (NSKE) (5%) on some biological aspects of C. carnea. At the rates tested, larval mortality was 32.45%, 26.41%, 10.20%, and 7.20% for endosulfan, imidacloprid, and control, respectively. Larvae fed on Corcyra cephalonica eggs treated with NSKE and imidacloprid pupated early, i.e. the larval period shortened by 4-5 days as compared to that of larvae fed on
endosulfan treated and non-treated (control) eggs. In addition, 13.89% of predator larvae feed on Imidacloprid treated prey failed to pupate. The oviposition period of surviving adults was significantly (P < 0.05) affected in the following order: NSKE< imidacloprid< Endosulfan, when compared1 with the untreated check. The mean fecundity and productive age of adult females varied significantly (P < 0.05) according to the insecticide treatment. The sex ratio of the adults, pre-oviposition and postoviposition periods and female longevity were not significantly (P < 0.05) affected by the insecticide treatment applied to the larvae. NSKE was the most biologically
compatible natural pesticide with biological control (predation) as compared to endosulfan 35EC and Imidacloprid 17.8SC.