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

Authors: EBRAHIMFAR, JAFAR - Shahid Chamran University Of Ahvaz; SHISHEHBOR, PARVIZ - Shahid Chamran University Of Ahvaz; RASEKH, ARASH - Shahid Chamran University Of Ahvaz; Riddick, Eric

Submitted to: BioControl
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/10/2020
Publication Date: 7/18/2020
Citation: Ebrahimfar, J., Shishehbor, P., Rasekh, A., Riddick, E.W. 2020. Effect of factitious diets on development and reproduction of the ladybird beetle Stethorus gilvifrons, a predator of tetranychid mites. Biocontrol. 65:703-711. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-020-10033-y.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-020-10033-y

Interpretive Summary: Ladybird beetles in the genus Stethorus are important predators of tetranychid spider mites throughout the World. Discovery and utilization of cost-effective alternative foods to mass produce Stethorus species, including Stethorus gilvifrons, are crucial to releasing enough beetles for biological control of spider mites, e.g., Tetranychus turkestani, in Iran. Although S. gilvifrons larvae and adults showed a preference for T. turkestani eggs, the combination of Ephestia kuehniella moth eggs plus date palm pollen showed promise as an alternative to spider mite eggs for culturing S. gilvifrons.

Technical Abstract: The ladybird beetle Stethorus gilvifrons is a predator of tetranychid mites. The hypothesis that factitious diets had no negative effect on S. gilvifrons development and reproduction was tested. Experimental diets included natural prey Tetranychus turkestani eggs, Ephestia kuehniella eggs plus date palm pollen, E. kuehniella eggs plus maize pollen, and E. kuehniella eggs plus bee pollen. The results indicated that S. gilvifrons development time was longer and fecundity was lower on all factitious diets tested compared to natural prey, T. turkestani eggs. S. gilvifrons fed E. kuehniella eggs plus date palm pollen had a higher net reproductive rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (r), and lower generation time (T) than those fed other factitious diets. Although T. turkestani eggs are more nutritious than the factitious diets, the combination of E. kuehniella eggs plus date palm pollen holds promise as an alternative food for the mass production of S. gilvifrons.