Biological and demographic parameters of the microneuropteran brown lacewing, Sympherobius barberi Banks (Neuroptera: Hemerobiidae) reared on two different preys

Abstract Background Many brown lacewings belong to the Hemerobiidae family, which are adults and larvae are voracious active predators and used in biological control of soft-bodied phytophagous pests, especially tetranychid mites, aphids, whiteflies and mealybugs. Sympherobius barberi Banks was reared on two different preys, i.e., the Duranta aphid, Aphis durantae and the acarid mite, Tyrophagus putrescentiae as an alternative prey for the purpose of determining the different biological aspects with the demographic parameters statistical values of S. barberi on these two prey species. Results The egg duration was not affected by the feeding type of females recording a range from 3.12 to 3.2 days. The total larval duration of males was, also, not affected by the prey type, while female’s larvae lasted 11 and 12.39 days on aphids and mites, respectively, with a significant difference. Also, the pupal period was not affected with the larval prey type showing a range of 4.73 to 5.44 days. The preimmaginal stages fed on T. putrescentiae had a shorter duration than those fed on aphids for females, with a significant difference, but not for males. The male or female longevity and fecundity were not affected by the larval prey type. The intrinsic rate of increase ( r m ), the net reproductive rate ( R 0 ), finite rate for increase ( λ ), mean generation time (T), and doubling time (DT) were 0.1255, 36.61, 1.134, 28.68 days, 5.523 days, respectively with rearing on aphids, while they were 0.1277, 35.16, 1.136, 27.88 days, and 5.428 days, respectively when reared on T. putrescentiae . Conclusion Using the acarid mite, T. putrescentiae as an alternative prey for S. barberi achieved a higher total survival rate in larvae that increased from 31% on aphid to 89% on T. putrescentiae without significant differences among most of the biological and demographic parameters. These findings suggest using of T. putrescentiae as an alternative prey at least for L1 and L2 for mass rearing the hemerobiid lacewings for classical biological control of soft-bodied insects and mites.