Bioecologia de Chrysoperla externa (Hagen, 1861) (Neuroptera : Chrysopidae) e análise faunística da artropodofauna associada a plantas da família Apiaceae

Abstract

For the success of biological control programs, mainly conservative, it is necessary to use flowering plants, since many insect parasitoids and predators use floral resources for its establishment, with the consequent increase in performance as agents for pest control. The green lacewings (Chrysopidae: Neuroptera) are common in many agricultural systems and their larvae are predators of several species of phytophagous arthropods. In adult phase, although some species are predatory, most feed on nectar and pollen. So to keep these insects in the area of interest is necessary to know how to compose the plant diversity of the agricultural system, not just make a casual diversification of plants potentially attractive. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the presence of plants of the Apiaceae as a factor in helping to conserve green lacewings in an environment of organic. The studies were conducted in Seropédica, RJ, in the area of the Sistema Integrado de Produção Agroecológica (SIPA) and the Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), Lavras, MG. We conducted a survey of species of lacewings present in the SIPA, which found that Chrysoperla externa (Hagen, 1861) is the most frequent species. For this species studied the supply of flowers and the attractiveness of Apiaceae plants: Coriandrum sativum L. (Coriander), Anethum graveolens L. (Dill) and Foeniculum vulgare Mill. (Fennel). In laboratory, these plants keep the adult populations of C. externa with their floral resources (pollen and nectar) at least until the F3 generation. At 30 days after sowing, coriander is attractive to virgins adults and fennel is attractive to mated adults. The diversity of natural enemies that the Apiaceae host, coriander stood out for its richness and density of parasitoids and showed an increase in the density of predators during flowering. In addition, the species studied harbor major groups of parasitoids and predators during their phenological development. Thus their use as companion planting in cultivated areas can lead benefits to crops, mainly by providing adequate resources to the maintenance of C. externa.