STUDIES ON THE FEEDING PREFERENCE OF BROWN LACEWING (SYMPHEROBIUS FALLAX NAVAS) LARVAE FOR DIFFERENT STAGES OF LONG-TAILED MEALY BUG (PSEUDOCOCCUS LONGISPINUS) (TARGIONIAND TOZZETTI)

Pseudococcus longispinus (Targioni-Tozzetti) has a wide distribution in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. It attacks many fruit trees, crop plants, vegetables and ornamentals as well as greenhouse plants. Experiments were done to determine the feeding preference of brown lacewing Sympherobius fallax (Navas) larvae of different stages on long-tailed mealy bug Pseudococcus longispinus. It was found that in the no choice experiment the first-instar Sympherobius fallax (Navas) consumed second-stage mealy bug more than any other stages and did not eat fourth (adult) stage while second-stage S. fallax preferred third-stage mealybugs. Thirdstage S. fallax also preferred third-stage mealybugs. In the choice experiment the first-stage larval predators preferred second-stage mealybugs significantly more than the other two stages while the second- and third-stage predators preferred third-stage mealybug significantly more than the second and the fourth stages. It was also determined that darkness has a marked effect on the feeding efficiency of all stages of S. fallax. The number of mealy bugs eaten in the light was significantly greater than in the darkness in all the stages of S. fallax.