Mass Rearing Techniques of Green Lacewings Chrysoperla carnea Stephens – A Review

Chrysoperla carnea is a cosmopolitan polyphagous predator feeding on soft bodies insects like aphids and other phytophagous arthropods. Commercially, it is available as individual stages: egg, larva, pupa, adult and mixed stages. The mass rearing techniques must be developed underlying the criteria of cost-effectiveness and biological efficiency. The mass-rearing of the predator can be done in following steps: rearing the adults of C. carnea, Rearing of Hosts and larval rearing. Eggs of Corcyra cephalonica has been found to be superior food for feeding larvae. The third instar larva is a voracious feeder. Semi-artificial and Artificial diets for adults, although being inferior to natural diets is essential for economical rearing when natural diets is not available.