Prolonged Storage of Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Diapausing adults of Chrysoperla carnea Stephens were stored at low temperature (5°C) under short daylengths (10:14 [L:D] h) for 31 wk with little maintenance. Rates of survival were very high (≈97%), and both males and females retained high reproductive potential. Shortly after transfer to warm, long-day conditions, >90% of the pairs produced fertile eggs: initiation of oviposition after storage was synchronous and predictable. Subsequently, depending on the duration of storage, females oviposited an average of 230–350 eggs during the first 30 d of oviposition (≈50–70% of the eggs produced by unstored females). Except for one group that was stored for 31 wk, high levels of fertile oviposition persisted for ≈45 d after storage. Cold storage of C. carnea benefits biological control efforts by providing flexibility and efficiency in mass-production to meet peak seasonal demands for eggs or young larvae; an alternative method of shipping C. carnea to distributors who choose to harvest eggs (or young larvae) for sale; and a reserve supply of stock if insectary colonies fail or dwindle. It also makes standardized stock available for use in long-term ecological, physiological, or genetic research.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: