An artificial diet for continuous maintenance of Coccinella septempunctata adults (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

An artificial diet was developed for continuous maintenance of ladybird beetle (Coccinella septempunctata) adults. This beetle is an important biocontrol agent for greenhouse crops. Several biological parameters were measured and compared between colonies fed the artificial diet over eight successive generations, and colonies fed aphids. Weight, survival rates from 1st to 4th instar, pupation rate, and emergence rate were similar for both colonies, but the sex ratio (f:o) of the artificial diet-fed colony was higher than that of the aphid-fed colony. These results suggest that this artificial diet could meet the basic needs for the successive rearing of C.septempunctata adults. The prepared diet, which is semi-solid, provides suitable moisture for C.septempunctata, and the diet ingredients are inexpensive and relatively easy to prepare. This diet and rearing technique offers a very useful approach for mass production of C.septempunctata.