Effect of factitious diets on development and reproduction of the ladybird beetle Stethorus gilvifrons, a predator of tetranychid mites

Effects of Three Artificial Diets on Life History Parameters of the Ladybird Beetle Stethorus gilvifrons, a Predator of Tetranychid Mites

“…The results of the current study indicated that S. gilvifrons fed on AD1 that lacked E. kuehniella eggs had very close female developmental time (15.50 days), immature survival (70.23%), female longevity (31.18 days), total fecundity (42.09 eggs), egg hatch (72.0%), sex ratio (53.62% female) and r (0.119 d −1 ) values compared to those reported by Ebrahimifar et al [38], suggesting that the nutritional quality of two the artificial diets (AD1 and AD2) was similar. On the other hand, the r values of S. gilvifrons on the artificial diet (AD1) calculated here (0.119 d −1 ) or on a factitious diet (date palm pollen plus E. kuehniella eggs) reported by Ebrahimifar et al [38] The results of our experiments showed that the number of larval instars of S. gilvifrons fed on artificial diets were the same as those reported for this species fed natural prey Oligonychus coffeae (Nietner) [16], T. turkestani and Eutetranychus orientalis Klein [26], T. urticae [44], O. afrasiaticus [21], and T. cinnabarinus [18]. It has been noted that inadequate foods can increase the number of larval instars [45,46], therefore the artificial diets presented to S. gilvifrons in the current study had adequate nutritional quality in comparison to the natural prey (tetranychid mites).…”

“…feeding on artificial diets. Ebrahimifar et al [38] studied the developmental time, survival and reproductive performance of S. gilvifrons fed on different factitious diets and reported that a mixture of date palm pollen plus E. kuehniella eggs was the best diet, among the different factitious diets tested, for S. gilvifrons development and reproduction. The results of the current study indicated that S. gilvifrons fed on AD1 that lacked E. kuehniella eggs had very close female developmental time (15.50 days), immature survival (70.23%), female longevity (31.18 days), total fecundity (42.09 eggs), egg hatch (72.0%), sex ratio (53.62% female) and r (0.119 d −1 ) values compared to those reported by Ebrahimifar et al [38], suggesting that the nutritional quality of two the artificial diets (AD1 and AD2) was similar.…”

“…Ebrahimifar et al [38] studied the developmental time, survival and reproductive performance of S. gilvifrons fed on different factitious diets and reported that a mixture of date palm pollen plus E. kuehniella eggs was the best diet, among the different factitious diets tested, for S. gilvifrons development and reproduction. The results of the current study indicated that S. gilvifrons fed on AD1 that lacked E. kuehniella eggs had very close female developmental time (15.50 days), immature survival (70.23%), female longevity (31.18 days), total fecundity (42.09 eggs), egg hatch (72.0%), sex ratio (53.62% female) and r (0.119 d −1 ) values compared to those reported by Ebrahimifar et al [38], suggesting that the nutritional quality of two the artificial diets (AD1 and AD2) was similar. On the other hand, the r values of S. gilvifrons on the artificial diet (AD1) calculated here (0.119 d −1 ) or on a factitious diet (date palm pollen plus E. kuehniella eggs) reported by Ebrahimifar et al [38] The results of our experiments showed that the number of larval instars of S. gilvifrons fed on artificial diets were the same as those reported for this species fed natural prey Oligonychus coffeae (Nietner) [16], T. turkestani and Eutetranychus orientalis Klein [26], T. urticae [44], O. afrasiaticus [21], and T. cinnabarinus [18].…”

“…Likewise, they found the combination of E. kuehniella eggs plus date palm pollen holds promise as an alternative food for the mass production of S. gilvifrons. Moreover, the authors discovered that date palm pollen was scattered in Ahvaz city and readily available as a food source for S. gilvifrons adults [38].…”

“…In the previous study by Ebrahimifar et al [38], factitious diets were only tested as food for S. gilvifrons. The objectives of the current study were to determine the developmental and reproductive characteristics of S. gilvifrons fed on different artificial diets.…”