| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4524730 | Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology | 2011 | 4 Pages |
Clitostethus arcuatus is a major, cosmopolitan predator of some Aleyrodidae. Field collected adult beetles were reared in the laboratory on different diets: Siphoninus phillyreae eggs, Trialeurodes vaporariorum eggs, Sitotroga cerealella eggs, or an artificial diet consisting of honey, yeast, and pollen. All experiments were conducted at 25 ± 2 °C, 65 ± 5% RH and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L:D) h. Female and male C. arcuatus consumed a mean (± SE) of 61 ± 0.6 and 27 ± 0.9 T. vaporariorum eggs d− 1, respectively, and a mean of 56 ± 2.2 and 29 ± 1.1 S. phillyreae eggs d− 1, respectively. Significant differences were noted between sexes and between hosts consumed by female C. arcuatus. No feeding occurred on S. cerealella eggs. Although there was a significant difference between rates of oviposition due to diet, fertility rates on different diets did not show significant differences. The sex ratio of C. arcuatus (female:male) was 51.4:48.6, 55.2:44.8, and 54.6:45:4 when adults fed on T. vaporariorum, S. phillyreae, and artificial diet, respectively. These differences were not significantly different. Average longevity (± SE) was 66.4 ± 2.6, 54.9 ± 2.5; 77.3 ± 6.9, 67.5 ± 7.2; and 86.4 ± 4.5 70.3 ± 3.6 days for female and male C. arctuatus, respectively, on T. vaporariorum, S. phillyreae and artificial diet, respectively, with significant differences between sexes and diets. Although developmental duration on T. vaporariorum was longer than ash whitefly, this difference was not significant (mean 27.68 ± 0.31 and 25.09 ± 0.21 days for predators reared on T. vaporariorum and S. phillyreae, respectively). Given its longevity and fecundity on T. vaporariorum, C. arcuatus may be a good choice for mass release on glasshouse crops infected by greenhouse whitefly.
Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► Clitostethus arcuatus is a major cosmopolitan predator of some Aleyrodidae. In this study, we investigated the effect of different diets (live prey and artificial diet) on longevity, fecundity, and the sex ratio of C. arctuatus to assess the potential of this predator for the biological control of greenhouse and ash whiteflies. ► We examine the rate of Predator feeding on eggs of T. vaporariorum and S. phillyreae. ► According to results, female fecundity showed that predator population size can increase whenever C. arcuatus becomes established on T. vaporariorum colonies. According to the feeding rate of this species, it can be a powerful predator for use in glasshouse crops. Given its longevity and fecundity on T. vaporariorum, C. arcuatus may be a good choice for mass release on glasshouse crops infected by greenhouse whitefly.
