Storage of NondiapausingChrysoperla externaAdults: Influence on Survival and Reproduction

Chrysoperla externa,a species with great potential for mass rearing and use in augmentative biological control, harbors traits that underlie efficient long-term storage. (1) Although they did not enter diapause, adults of the Honduran population that were kept at 10°C had a “shelf life” (high survival) of at least 4 months. (2) After storage, reproduction began quickly, predictably, and with little variation among individuals. (3) The poststorage oviposition rate was high and declined only when adults had been stored for 4 months. Some otherC. externapopulations exhibit diapause and therefore may have a much longer shelf life.