LIFE HISTORY OF Chrysopa pallens (RAMBUR) (NEUROPTERA, CHRYSOPIDAE) ON Bemisia tabaci (GENNADIUS) (HOMOPTERA, ALEYRODIDAE) BIOTYPE B AS PREY

Bemisia tabaci biotype B is a major pest, causing serious losses to many agricultural crops. Chrysopa pallens is an important polyphagous predator of many insect pests including B. tabaci worldwide. In the present study, life table of C. pallens was determined by using B. tabaci biotype B as prey on tomato host plant at controlled conditions of 25+2oC, 65+5% RH and 16:8h (L:D) photoperiod in a climatic chamber. C. pallens was able to complete embryonic and immature development and reached to adult stage when fed on B. tabaci as prey. The mean duration of embryonic, L1, L2, L3 and pupa was 7.0, 4.2, 6.2, 8.2 and 12.2 days, respectively. The mean longevity of C. pallens was 56.8 days for females and 46.4 days for males. Mortality occurred during all developmental stages of the predator and it was 31.0% from egg-pupal stage. C. pallens laid a mean total number of 397.4 eggs per female.