Eur. J. Entomol. 103 (2): 501-503, 2006 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2006.065

Biological and ecological studies on Scymnus syriacus and Scymnus levaillanti (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Thabet F. ALLAWI
University of Jordan, Faculty of Agriculture, Plant Protection Department, Amman, Jordan; e-mail: thabet@ju.edu.jo

Both Scymnus syriacus Mars. and Scymnus levaillanti Muls. are aphidophagous coccinellids. In the laboratory they consumed and successfully reproduced on several species of aphids. Larvae suck the prey contents from aphid appendages, while adults consume the whole aphid, except for parts of the appendages. Extra-oral digestion is practiced during feeding. The mean number of aphids consumed by the larval stage of S. syriacus when reared at 25°C was 95, and 130 aphids at 30°C. For S. levaillanti it was 125 and 139 aphids at 25°C and 30°C, respectively. The mean number of eggs deposited daily by S. syriacus for the first three weeks of adult life was 19.5, with a range of 3-30 eggs at 25°C. Longevity of adults ranged from 3 to 4 months at 25°C and 2.5-3 months at 30°C.

Keywords: Scymnus syriacus, Scymnus levaillanti, aphidophagous coccinellids, oviposition, developmental time, longevity, food consumption

Received: September 10, 2004; Revised: October 24, 2005; Accepted: October 24, 2005; Published: April 6, 2006  Show citation

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ALLAWI, T.F. (2006). Biological and ecological studies on Scymnus syriacus and Scymnus levaillanti (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). EJE, 103(2), 501-503. doi: 10.14411/eje.2006.065
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