Entomological Science (2008) 11, 281-288

Zahra Soroushmehr, Ahad Sahragard and Latif Salehi (2008)
Comparative life table statistics for the ladybeetle Scymnus syriacus reared on the green citrus aphid, Aphis spiraecola, fed on two host plants
Entomological Science 11 (3), 281-288
Abstract: Demographic statistics for the ladybeetle Scymnus syriacus Marseul (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) were investigated when reared on the green citrus aphid, Aphis spiraecola Patch (Homoptera: Aphididae), fed on two host plants: spirea (Spirea sp.) and Thompson orange (Citrus sinensis cv. Thompson) under laboratory conditions (25 ± 1°C, 65 ± 5% relative humidity and 16 h light : 8 h dark). Mean developmental times from egg to adult were 20.32 ± 0.18 and 22.07 ± 0.15 days for spirea and Thompson orange, respectively. The survival rate from egg to adult was higher for spirea (85%) than for Thompson orange (72.5%). The oviposition periods were 41.8 ± 2.47 and 39.71 ± 2.6 days and the total number of eggs per female were 657.6 ± 29.5 and 587.9 ± 32.6 on spirea and Thompson orange, respectively. Fertility life tables were also constructed to compare the effects of host plants. The intrinsic rate of increase (r_m) on spirea was higher than that on Thompson orange. Jackknife estimates of r_m varied from 0.149 on spirea to 0.133 on Thompson orange. The mean population generation times on these host plants were 38.16 and 40.65 days, respectively. These results indicate that spirea-fed A. spiraecola is more suitable for S. syriacus, producing a higher survival rate and shorter developmental time.
(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): Ahad Sahragard

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Aphis spiraecola	Citrus (genus)	Iran
	Aphis spiraecola	Spiraea (crop)	Iran
Scymnus syriacus (predator)	Aphis spiraecola	Citrus (genus)	Iran
Scymnus syriacus (predator)	Aphis spiraecola	Spiraea (crop)	Iran