Feeding Capacity of Adults and Grubs of Different Morphotypes of Cheilomenes sexmaculata Fab.

摘要

Grubs and adults of Cheilomenes sexmaculata Fab. were important predators of aphids attacking the cowpea crop. Feeding potential of both adults and grubs were studied on cowpea aphid. Aphis craccivora Koch. The first, second, third and fourth instarsof the grub of all the morphotypes of C. sexmaculata were found to consume 7.0 ± 1.07,18.85 ± 1.20,70.0 ± 1.74 and 173.0 ± 3.53; 6.42 ± 0.57,15.28 ± 0.91,71.42 ± 1.32 and 178.0 ± 3.66; 5.85 ±0.59,12.14 ± 0.67,70.28 ±2.77 and 177.7± 2.37; 6.14± 0.26,11.8 ± 0.73,77.7± 1.86 and 191.71 ±2.76 and 5.57 ± 0.48,13.0 ± 0.61,75.57 ± 0.89 and 193.57 ±3.82 aphids respectively. Adults also consumed the aphids to a greater extent when compared to the immature stages of the C. sexmaculata. The average predatory potential of aduhs of all morphotypes was 579.71 ± 27.3,599.3 ± 33.3,563.71 ± 30.9,598.14 ± 23.06 and 588.4 ± 23.10 aphids respectively.