MUNIS ENTOMOLOGY & ZOOLOGY, cilt.17, sa.2, ss.1436-1445, 2022 (Hakemli Dergi)
In this study,
some biological characteristics of Chilocorus
renipustulatus Scriba (C. kuwanae Silvestri) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) feeding on Unaspis euonymi (Comstock) (Hemiptera:
Diaspididae), which is an important Euonymus pest in Turkey, were examined and
information about the results of release of this predator into the nature was
provided. The studies were carried out in a climate room with 26+1 ⁰C, 60%+10 relative
humidity, 16L/8D hours lighting regime. It was
determined that the C. renipustulatus
adults generally laid their eggs one by one under female scale of U. euonymi, an average of 19.7± 12.6 eggs
per day. 57.4% of the eggs were hatched on the 6th day, and the
hatching rate was 46.30%. In case the predator larvae fed only on pre-adult
male individuals of their prey, they completed four larval stages within 14.97±1
days and the pupa stage within 8.18±0.35 days. In the case of male and female
scale insect preys were present, the development of larvae stages lasted within
20.09±1 days, and the pupal period took 8.67±0.9 days. Adult females and males
of C. renipustulatus lived an average
of 51.25±13.79 days and 62.2±18.44 days, respectively. C. renipustulatus population consisted of 38.35% male and 61.64%
female individuals. The predator preferred to prey on pre-adult male stages of U. euonymi and consumed daily with an
average of 87.9±15.19 pre- adult males and 14.4 ±0.79 females, respectively. The
first instar larvae of C. renipustulatus
were the most sensitive to starvation (1.4± 0.16 days) and the larvae of the
fourth instar withstand starvation for 4.3±0.15 days. When the adults and larvae of C. renipustulatus were released into the
areas infested with U. euonymi. nature,
no predator adults were found in the examinations made 7, 15 and 30 days after
the release, and Aprostocetus neglectus
and Homalotylus flaminius parasitized
the majority of the predator larvae and pupae. The presence of predators in the
released areas was investigated in between 2012-2021 and no predators were
found It is thought that this situation was due to the negative effects of
climate and native natural enemies on the predator.