Temperature influence on development of Sympherobius pygmaeus (Rambur) (Neuroptera: Hemerobiidae) reared on Planococcus citri (Risso) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

Sympherobius pygmaeus (Rambur) (Neuroptera: Hemerobiidae) is a predator recorded on several pest species, including mealybug in Turkey. The present study was performed to determine the relationship between growth rate and temperature effects on S. pygmaeus. Development and fecundity were investigated at 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 +/- 1 degrees C and 60%+/- 10 relative humidity with 16 hours lighting in a growth chamber. The development time from egg to adult decreased with increasing temperatures. The longest development time was at 15 degrees C with 147.3 +/- 4.37 days and the shortest time was at 30 degrees C with 21.8 +/- 0.20 days, while development was not completed at 35 degrees C. The oviposition period was 22.00 +/- 4.22, 19.58 +/- 1.37 and 2.38 +/- 0.14 days at 20, 25 and 30 degrees C, respectively. When the temperature effects on body size and weight of female and male individuals were compared, they were slight differences in size and weight at the same temperatures. Males and females reared at 25 degrees C were bigger than specimens reared at other temperatures. Daily and total egg production was highest at 25 degrees C, with 11.9 +/- 0.80/female/day and 258.4 +/- 12.25 per female. The net reproductive rate (R-o) and intrinsic rate of increase (r(m)) were highest at 25 degrees C at 109.31 females/female and 0.1235 females/female/day(-1), respectively, and average generation time (T-o) was lowest at 30 degrees C at 23.49 days.