This work was developed with the goal to study in greenhouse, some biological aspects of the immature and adult stages of Chrysoperla externa (Hagen), feeding its larvae with eggs of Anagasta kuehniella (Zeller) and adults with artificial diets. The embryonic period was determined by utilizing glass tubes of 2.5 x 8.5 cm, transparent plastic cage of 2.5 x 1.0 cm and pvc tube of 10.0 x 10.0 cm (with and without humidifier). The biological aspects of the larval and pupal stage were determined by confining them in glass tubes and plastic cages and the adults in pvc cages of 10.0 x 10.0 cm, feeding them with diets: yeast + honey, soy extract + honey and pollen + honey, at two consistencies, semi-liquid and pasty. The embryonic period was not influenced by the sort of container, ranging from 6.3 ± 0.2 to 7.6 ± 0.7 days. When the eggs were kept in the plastic cages, the percentage of hatching was 71%, however, in those of pvc and without a humidifier the mean was of 88.0 ± 5.0%. The duration of the 1st and 2nd instars was not influenced by the type of rearing container, 3rd instar larvae confined in glass tubes presented a duration of 2.3 ± 0.1 days and those reared in plastic cages the mean was of 1.6 ± 0.1 days. The greatest predatory capacity (2630.0 ± 224.8 eggs) was obtained for larvae of 3rd ínstar kept in glass tubes and of 1919.9 ± 151.6 eggs when kept in plastic cages fixed on cotton plant leaves. Both the duration and survival rate of that stage were not influenced by the sort of rearing container with a range of 5.5 ± 0.4 to 6.1 ± 0.4 days and 67.9 ± 3.9 to 74.4± 3.9%, respectively. The duration and survival of the pupa stage were not affeted by the type of cage being of 13.5 ± 0.3 days and 60% of adults emerged. The diet made up of yeast + honey in either the liquid or the pasty form showed the best results with a total fecundity of 387.8 ± 86.2 and 211.0 ± 41.4 eggs/female, respectively. The females fed on that same type of diet in the liquid form had higher longevity, living about 45 days.
Biological aspects; green lacewings; artificial diets; greenhouse
