Abstract
The pink spotted lady beetle Coleomegilla maculata has been identified as a promising predator to mass rear and release into greenhouses and high tunnels to control aphids on small fruits and vegetables. This study tested the hypothesis that laboratory-reared C. maculata, without any exposure to aphids for multiple generations, could recognize, attack, and consume live aphids. The aphid adults of two species were collected from non-crop host plants (weeds) over two consecutive seasons. The time (seconds) that C. maculata adults required to recognize and partially or completely consume live, healthy adult aphids was recorded in Petri dish arenas in the laboratory. Regardless of the non-prey food source (brine shrimp egg diet, mealworm-protein-based artificial diet), C. maculata adults readily recognized aphids. Adult females were occasionally more voracious than males. One aphid species (Uroleucon erigeronense) was consumed more readily than the other aphid species (Aphis nerii). In conclusion, multigenerational rearing on non-prey foods did not affect the prey recognition behavior of C. maculata adults in the laboratory. Validating the ability of lady beetles reared on artificial diets to recognize and consume live aphids is an important protocol before augmentative releases for aphid control in greenhouses and high tunnels.