FUNCTIONAL RESPONSE OF THE PREDATORS ON THE POPULATION OF YELLOW RICE STEM BORER, SCIRPOPHAGA INCERTULAS (WALKER) (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE) UNDER LABORATORY CONDITION

The study of the functional response of the predators Coccinelid beetle, Carabid beetle, Meadow Grasshopper and Damselfly on eggs and larval stages of the Yellow Rice Stem Borer, Scripophaga incertulas (Walker) showed that the numbers of S. incertulas consumed by the predators greatly increased as the density of S. ncertulas increased. The amount of available food density eggs and larvae of S. incertulas may have significant effect in determining the effectiveness of the predators The predator Coccinelid beetle consumed more prey of the developmental stages (eggs, larvae) of S. incertulas than did the predators Carabid beetle or Meadow Grasshopper or damselfly. The predator damselfly ate significantly less number of eggs and larvae of S. incertulas than did the other predators. The predator Coccinelid beetle is a voracious predator of not only eggs but also larvae of the yellow rice stem borer. As density of eggs or larvae of S. incertulas, increased the feeding response of the Coccinelid beetle also increased