Bioecology of the coccinellid, Anegleis cardoni (Weise) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), an important predator of aphids, coccids and pseudococcids

The bioecology of Anegleis cardoni (Weise) was studied under controlled laboratory conditions, where the temperature and relative humidity were maintained at 25°±5°C and 80±5 per cent, respectively. The rearing was done on the pseudococcied, Centrococcus insolitus Green; and the cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae L. to evaluate its effectiveness against both the host pests. The life cycle was completed in 25 and 22 days in B. brassicae and C. insolitus, respectively. The average fecundity of a female was 821.2 and 1099.9 eggs, and the egg hatching was 86 and 95 per cent on B. brassicae and C. insolitus, respectively. Also, higher adult longevity and voracity was recorded on C. insolitus than B. brassicae.