Impact of endosulfan on the predatory efficiency of larval Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) on the eggs of Heliothis virescens and Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The effect of the insecticide endosulfan on the predatory efficiency of the green lacewing, Chrysoperla carnea Stephens (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) on the eggs of tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) was measured with Holling’s disc equation. Though the type II functional response was maintained in C. carnea exposed to endosulfan, the functional response parameters: attack rate (a′), handling time (Th), total handling time (Tht), searching time (Ts), and search efficiency (E) were affected for both prey offered. The predator took more time to identify, pursue, capture, consume, and digest the prey, and in general, the efficiency of the predator as a biological control agent was adversely affected.