Aspectos biológicos e exigências térmicas em quatro espécies de Chrysopidae (Neuroptera)

Abstract

Biological aspects and thermal requirements in four species of Chrysopidae (Neuroptera The Chrysopidae family is the most diverse in the order Neuroptera and lacewings are considered promising biological control agents, because they feed on a wide variety of small insect pests. The objective of this work was to compare the biological and reproductive aspects, to determine the thermal requirements and to establish the climatic zoning of four species of lacewings, Chysoperla externa (Hagen), Ceraeochrysa cubana (Hagen), Ceraeochrysa cincta (Schneider) and Ceraeochrysa paraguaria (Navás) for the state of São Paulo. The results showed that the four species of lacewings were able to complete their eggadult cycle in the thermal range of 18 to 32 °C and the best viability obtained between 22 and 28 °C. It was observed that the Ch. externa species had a faster development than the other species at each stage of development and the eggadult cycle. In the fertility life table, the population growth was favored in the thermal range of 22 and 28 °C for Ce. cincta, from 22 to 25 °C for Ce. paraguaria, from 25 to 28 °C for Ch. externa and for Ce. cubana temperature at 28 °C. The thermal requirements of the species indicated that the base temperature (Tt) were 10.5, 12.95, 11.99, and 11.77 °C and the thermal constant were 443.81, 362.7, 399.68, and 314.95 DD for Ce. cincta, Ce. cubana, Ce. paraguaria and Ch. externa, respectively. Through the thermal requirements and the use of computational tools such as the Geographic Information System (GIS), it was possible to represent spatially the development of the four species of lacewings. It was observed that the estimated number of monthly generations was influenced by temperature, and in the warmer months the life cycle was faster than in the colder months. Due to the shorter life span of Ch. externa, this species managed to complete 14 generations/year, with the remaining 10 to 11 generations/year in the warmer regions of the state of São Paulo. In colder regions, the number of estimated annual generations for each species was lower. In addition, it was observed that among the species studied, Ch. externa can be indicated for regions with mild to warm temperatures, Ce. cincta for mild climates to cold, Ce. paraguaria for regions with mild temperatures and Ce. cubana regions to warm temperatures. The data obtained in this study could be used for mass rearing the species, to help predict the occurrence of predators in the field and to choose which of the species are best adapted to certain climates in the environment aiming the use of these predators in Integrated Pest Management programs.