UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY

The mealy bug Phenacoccus madeirensis (Green) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is an invasive exotic pest with an extensive host of more than 130 genera of host plants from 51 families  P. madeirensis is considered one of the most economically significant pests of many fruits, fibre plants, food crops and vegetable crops etc. The damage is due to both nymphs and adult stage resulting withering and yellowing of leaves. The plant protection products are of limited effectiveness against mealy bugs because of their habit of hiding in crevices and the presence of waxy covering on its body. Several efforts were made to study the biology of the most abundant predator of the P. madeirensis in the Kolhapur district of Maharashtra. The present study was carried out during summer season (March- May 2019) in the laboratory of AGPM Department, Shivaji University, Kolhapur. The present study was conducted in an incubator under optimum constant laboratory conditions 27± ± 2ºC and 65± ± 5% R.H. The observed mean pre-oviposition period of the N. regularis was3was 3.4 ± 1.07 days, whereas the recorded oviposition period was32was 32.6 ± 2.59 days. The observed post oviposition period noticed about 20.4 ± 1.07 days. The average egg-laying was 92.7 ± 8.41 eggs/ female. The recorded mean incubation period was 5.2 ± 0.5 and the larval period lasts for about10about 10-13 days. The mean duration of pre-pupae and pupae was 1.5 ± 0.7 and 6.5 ± 0.8 days, respectively. The average longevity of male and female beetles noticed was 47.1 ± 1.7 and 58.4 ± 2.16 days respectively.