Suitability of spider mites and green peach aphids as prey for Eriopis connexa (Germar) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Abstract

The ladybird Eriopis connexa is an important natural enemy of several pest arthropods in agroecosystems. High population of this predator is frequently observed in strawberry and soybean crops associated with spider mites. We used two-sex life table parameters to evaluate under laboratory conditions, the suitability of three species of spider mites (Tetranychus evansi, Tetranychus urticae, Tetranychus ogmophallos), and a species of aphid (Myzus persicae) as a prey for the predator E. connexa. Eriopis connexa completed immature development on all prey species except on T. evansi, in which all individuals of predator died before reaching the pupal stage. Among prey species that allowed the immature development of E. connexa, T. urticae and M. persicae provided a faster development time to the predator. Oviposition days, longevity and fecundity of E. connexa on T. urticae and M. persicae were substantially longer/higher than on T. ogmophallos. Net reproductive rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (r), and finite rate of increase (λ) of E. connexa feeding on T. urticae and M. persicae were also higher than those on T. ogmophallos. Based on the overall performance of the ladybird, the order of suitability of prey species was M. persicae > T. urticae > T. ogmophallos > T. evansi.