Influence of three aphid species used as prey on some biological aspects of the predator Eriopis connexa

Abstract

Up to now, the search for an efficient artificial diet to rear the predator Eriopis connexa, native to the Colombian highlands of Cundinamarca and Boyacá has been without success. There- fore, it is necessary to determine which of the available preys supply the best food for its de- velopment, survival and fertility. With this pur- pose, under controlled conditions, three aphid species, accessible within the natural habitat of the predator, were evaluated. The cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae) does not provide an adequate nutrition for the predator, and appar- ently, the glucosinolate content of this aphid is transferred and affecting the predator. Based on the demographic parameters such as net re- productive rate, finite reproduction rate, genera- tional time and intrinsic growth rate, for three consecutive generations, it was determined that none of the other two aphid species can be considered either as optimum prey. Macrosi- phum euphorbiae, as prey stands out over the alder aphid, Pterocallis sp., supplied as food. The influence that these three prey species had on the growth potential of the larval stages of the predator, under particular ambient condi- tions, is reported.