Biology and Ecology of Predaceous Coccinellids with Special Reference to their Incidence In Response to Aphid Population and Temperature

Abstract

The biology of an insect is an important factor to be studied tor obtaining a knowledge on the nature and extent of damage to a particular crop. Thus, the biology of predaceous coccinellids have been undertaken for investigation with a view to finding out of its economic importance as well as to comparing their efficiency with other predaceous insects. Our knowled􀀎 on the biology of these predaceous insects is very scanty in our country. However, Hagen (1962) and Hodek (1967) studied the biology of some predaceous coccinellids in California and Czechoslovakia respectively. Savoiskaya (1974) studied the biology and morphology of coccinellid beetles and gave an estimated economic value in the process of biological control of insect pests. Islam and Nasiruddin (1978) studied· the life-histories of Q. repanda and Q. septempunctata. in Bangla­desh. Abraham il 􀀂- (1976) studied thelbiology of c. arcuata, a predator of the rice pest, Nilaparvata lugens in India. Besides those some biological works have been conducted on Q. undecimpunctata aegyptiaca Reiche. ( Kamal, 1951; Ibrahim, 1955), on A• bipunctata L. (Nielson and Curri, 1960; Butler and Dickerson, 1972 ) , on Diloponis inconspicuus Pope (Brettell,1964)