Life Table and Reproductive Parameters of Ladybird Beetle, Coccinella undecimpunctata (Linnaeus) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) on Aphids, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and Brevicoryne brassicae (Linnaeus) (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

The study aimed to determine the effect of two aphid species; Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and Brevicoryne brassicae (Linnaeus) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on the life table and reproductive parameters of ladybird beetle, Coccinella undecimpunctata (Linnaeus) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). The results revealed that the total developmental period from egg to adult emergence was significantly shorter on Myzus persicae (18.6 ± 0.42 days) and longer on Brevicoryne brassicae (27.4±0.50 days). The adult longevity of males and females was noted significantly higher on M. persicae than B. brassicae. The reproductive parameters such as oviposition period (37±1.00 days), post-oviposition period (4.4±0.41 days), and fecundity (315.09±0.34 eggs) were found higher on M. persicae than B. brassicae (31.2±1.09 days, 3.3±0.35 days, 189.54±0.43 eggs, respectively). Among the life table parameters, net reproductive rate and intrinsic rate of increase were significantly higher on M. persicae (132.18 females/female and 0.19/day, respectively) and lower on B. brassicae (80.77 females/female and 0.12 /day, respectively). Our results showed that C. undecimpunctata can be easily reared on M. persicae and is a more efficient biological control agent for M. persicae than B. brassicae.