Resumen

DUARTE GOMEZ, William  y  ZENNER DE POLANIA, Ingeborg. LIFE TABLE OF THE PREDATORY BEETLE Eriopis connexa connexa (Germar) (COLEOPTERA: COCCINELLIDAE). rev.udcaactual.divulg.cient. [online]. 2009, vol.12, n.2, pp.147-155. ISSN 0123-4226.

The knowledge of the demographic parameters of an insect population permits to determine the possibilities of its establishment and growth under specific environment. Furthermore, it provides key elements for the management of its artificial mass rearing. The purpose of this research was to build the life table of the predator Eriopis connexa under laboratory conditions. From a laboratory colony of the coccinellid, fed with the aphid Myzus persicae, a population was observed from egg to adult, under temperature conditions of 25.5°C, 63% relative humidity and a photoperiod of 12:12. The mortality of each stage and instar was recorded, as well as the proportion of adult females obtained, the number of eggs laid per female every fifth day, its fertility and the adult longevity. With these data the following population parameters were estimated: net reproduction rate of 16.07; generation time of 30.47 days; intrinsic natural growth rate of 0.072; finite multiplication rate of 1.08 and duplication time of 9.6 days. It was concluded that the population of E. connexa under the studied situations showed a high potential of establishment and growth, facilitating its use as biological control agent of arthropod pests when incorporated in agro-ecosystem and, furthermore, offers a good potential for its artificial rearing.

Palabras clave : Biological control; demographic parameters; reproduction rate; duplication time.

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