BioControl (2008) 53, 603-613

José Adriano Mota, António Onofre Soares and Patrícia Ventura Garcia (2008)
Temperature dependence for development of the whitefly predator Clitostethus arcuatus (Rossi)
BioControl 53 (4), 603-613
Abstract: This work aimed to study the biology of Clitostethus arcuatus (Rossi) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) under different temperatures and evaluate the optimum temperature for its mass rearing. Studies were carried out in the laboratory at four constant temperatures (15°C, 20°C, 25°C and 30°C), 75 ± 5% relative humidity and a photoperiod of 16 h light:8 h dark, in which C. arcuatus was fed ad libitum with nymphs of all instar of Aleyrodes proletella L. (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) on Brassicae oleracea L. (var. Costata). The following biological parameters were evaluated: development time and survival rates of pre-imaginal stages, adult longevity (female and male), length of the pre-oviposition and oviposition periods, fecundity, fertility and percentage of egg hatching. Population growth parameters, the lower development threshold and the sum of effective temperatures were estimated. Temperatures ranging from 20°C to 30°C were suitable for the development of C. arcuatus, suggesting that this species is well adapted to the temperatures usually found inside greenhouses or in open fields in temperate regions. Although the intrinsic rate of natural increase and doubling time were similar at 25°C and 30°C, the temperature of 25°C was shown to be the most suitable for mass rearing and development of populations under field conditions, since the percentage of egg hatching and the accumulated survival rates of the pre-imaginal stages were the highest. Considering the estimated lower threshold for pre-imaginal development (7.9°C) and the sum of effective temperatures [293.6 degree-days (°D)], it is predicted for Ponta Delgada (Azores, Portugal) that the first adults of C. arcuatus should emerge by the first fortnight of February and that up to 12 generations per year can occur.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): José Adriano Rodrigues Mota, Patrícia Ventura-Garcia

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution
rearing/culturing/mass production

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Aleyrodes proletella	Cabbage (Brassica oleracea)	Portugal (Azores)
Clitostethus arcuatus (predator)	Aleyrodes proletella	Cabbage (Brassica oleracea)	Portugal (Azores)