certainly would improve the concomitant use of insecticides and lady beetles under
an IPM framework.
Another important lady beetle species that has been noted largely by Iranian
researchers is C. septempunctata. The demography and life table parameters of this
species similar to H. variegata have been reported under different conditions and
presented briefly in Table 2.1. As a case study, some life history parameters of this
species have been addressed on several combinations of mustard aphid, Lipaphis
erysimi (Kaltenbach 1843) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and two-spotted spider mite
(Kianpour et al. 2011). Their study showed that diet including two-spotted spider
mite only could not be used as an effective alternative diet for seven spotted lady
beetle adults; however life table analysis would give a better insight.
Many Iranian pertinent studies considered the effect of different temperatures,
and some others took into account the effects of quantity and quality of prey on
ladybird biology. Hajizadeh et al. (1995) concluded that the 25–30
C was the
optimum range for activity and reproduction of an acarophagous lady beetle,
Stethorus givifrons on two-spotted spider mite, but at 40
C, the reproduction of
S. gilvifrons was stopped. Moreover, the effect of seven constant temperatures on
development and life table parameters of S. gilvifrons has been reported (Taghizadeh
et al. 2008a, b). In this regard, they estimated 222.72 degree-days and 12. 47
C as
thermal constant and low temperature threshold for S. gilvifrons entire developmental time on T. urtice. This is not surprising because it is a thermophile species and has
been collected from Iran’s hot and arid regions. Jalali et al. (2002) reported theoretical lower threshold and thermal constant for H. variegata, C. undecimpunctata,
O. conglobata contaminata and E. nigripennis. They also reported the intrinsic rate
of increase of those four lady beetle species reared on psyllid or aphid prey in another
study. The degree-days and lower temperature threshold for the complete life cycle
of O. conglobata was estimated as 270.32 DD and 10
C (Mojib Hagh Ghadam et al.
2004). These values have been reported as 285.71 DD and 9.34
C respectively by
feeding on pomegranate green aphid (Rounagh et al. 2014). Nazari et al. (2004)
reported the lowest developmental threshold of Exochomus nigromaculatus as 10.87
for fourth instar larvae. The optimum temperature for O. conglobata contaminata
rearing was estimated between 25–30
C (Mokhtari and Samih 2014) and 27.5 to
32.5
C (Rounagh et al. 2014) by feeding on M. persicae and A. punicae, respectively. Their study showed the degree-day and thermal thresholds could be
impressed by prey species (Mokhtari and Samih 2014; Rounagh et al. 2014). The
effects of five constant temperatures intervaled by 5
C on demography and population growth of Nephus arcuatus has been presented at 25
C (Table 2.1). Of five
temperature tested, the highest life table parameters (except mean generation time)
was highest at 30
C. Thus, it has been suggested that this species shows the best
efficacy at 30
C and active in hot regions when all other lady beetles may not
efficient (Zarghami et al. 2014b). In another study with cotton mealybugs, the 35
C
has been reported as an optimum temperature for growth and reproduction of
N. arcatus (Table 2.1). The survey of the life table of C. montrouzieri at three
temperatures showed the maximum and minimum intrinsic rate of increase (r) and
mean generation time (T) at 27
C and confirmed the earlier results. Therefore, 27
C
2 Lady Beetles; Lots of Efforts but few Successes
49
an IPM framework.
Another important lady beetle species that has been noted largely by Iranian
researchers is C. septempunctata. The demography and life table parameters of this
species similar to H. variegata have been reported under different conditions and
presented briefly in Table 2.1. As a case study, some life history parameters of this
species have been addressed on several combinations of mustard aphid, Lipaphis
erysimi (Kaltenbach 1843) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and two-spotted spider mite
(Kianpour et al. 2011). Their study showed that diet including two-spotted spider
mite only could not be used as an effective alternative diet for seven spotted lady
beetle adults; however life table analysis would give a better insight.
Many Iranian pertinent studies considered the effect of different temperatures,
and some others took into account the effects of quantity and quality of prey on
ladybird biology. Hajizadeh et al. (1995) concluded that the 25–30
C was the
optimum range for activity and reproduction of an acarophagous lady beetle,
Stethorus givifrons on two-spotted spider mite, but at 40
C, the reproduction of
S. gilvifrons was stopped. Moreover, the effect of seven constant temperatures on
development and life table parameters of S. gilvifrons has been reported (Taghizadeh
et al. 2008a, b). In this regard, they estimated 222.72 degree-days and 12. 47
C as
thermal constant and low temperature threshold for S. gilvifrons entire developmental time on T. urtice. This is not surprising because it is a thermophile species and has
been collected from Iran’s hot and arid regions. Jalali et al. (2002) reported theoretical lower threshold and thermal constant for H. variegata, C. undecimpunctata,
O. conglobata contaminata and E. nigripennis. They also reported the intrinsic rate
of increase of those four lady beetle species reared on psyllid or aphid prey in another
study. The degree-days and lower temperature threshold for the complete life cycle
of O. conglobata was estimated as 270.32 DD and 10
C (Mojib Hagh Ghadam et al.
2004). These values have been reported as 285.71 DD and 9.34
C respectively by
feeding on pomegranate green aphid (Rounagh et al. 2014). Nazari et al. (2004)
reported the lowest developmental threshold of Exochomus nigromaculatus as 10.87
for fourth instar larvae. The optimum temperature for O. conglobata contaminata
rearing was estimated between 25–30
C (Mokhtari and Samih 2014) and 27.5 to
32.5
C (Rounagh et al. 2014) by feeding on M. persicae and A. punicae, respectively. Their study showed the degree-day and thermal thresholds could be
impressed by prey species (Mokhtari and Samih 2014; Rounagh et al. 2014). The
effects of five constant temperatures intervaled by 5
C on demography and population growth of Nephus arcuatus has been presented at 25
C (Table 2.1). Of five
temperature tested, the highest life table parameters (except mean generation time)
was highest at 30
C. Thus, it has been suggested that this species shows the best
efficacy at 30
C and active in hot regions when all other lady beetles may not
efficient (Zarghami et al. 2014b). In another study with cotton mealybugs, the 35
C
has been reported as an optimum temperature for growth and reproduction of
N. arcatus (Table 2.1). The survey of the life table of C. montrouzieri at three
temperatures showed the maximum and minimum intrinsic rate of increase (r) and
mean generation time (T) at 27
C and confirmed the earlier results. Therefore, 27
C
2 Lady Beetles; Lots of Efforts but few Successes
49