Biology and consumption of predator Callida sp. (Coleoptera: Carabidae) reared on Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner, 1818

Abstract

The biology and consumption of Callida sp. was studied under laboratory conditions (26°C ± 2°C, temperature, 60% ± 10% RH) in Londrina, PR, Brazil. Developmental time from the egg through adult was 32 days, with the highest mortality in the third instar larvae (26,7%). As to larval weight, it was observed that the highest increasing also occurred in the third instar (7.7 mg). The mean of the total consumption of Callida sp. during the larval period was 65.6 utilizing the second instar larva of Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner, 1818. Third instar larvae ingested 83.3% of the total available larva supplied. The mean daily consumption of different larvae was 0.0, 1.9 and 6.2 larvae for the first second and third instar, respectively. Adults of Callida sp. ingest a daily average of 48.1 small larvae, showing preference to second-instar larvae of A. gemmatalis. Considering that adult longevity averaged 49.2 days, the potential of consumption during this period is significative.