The paper aimed to conduct biological studies of the chrysopidae species most frequent in the Brazilian agroecosystems, Chrysoperla externa, in order to raise this species under laboratory conditions. The research was developed at the Entomology Laboratory of the Federal University of Santa Maria, where biological studies of immature and adult stages of C. externa were performed, feeding its larva with eggs of Bonagota cranaotes and adults with an artificial diet based on beer yeast and honey, in the 1:1 proportion. The embryonic period was determined using gel capsules and 2.5x8.5cm glass tubes. The adult insects were raised in PVC tubes of 10.0cm diameter and 23.0cm length, at the temperature of 25°C±2°C and 70±10% relative humidity and 14 hour photophase. According to the results obtained, the embryonic period was of 4.0 days, with 89.2% of viability, the mean larval period for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd instars was of 3.7, 4.9 and 4.5 days, respectively. The mean period for pre-pupa and pupa was of 1.4 and 9.3 days, respectively, amounting to a mean developing cycle of 27.8 days. The width measures of the cephalic capsule showed that the Dyar's rule can applied to this case. Larva of Chrysoperla externa may be raised in eggs of Bonagota cranaodes under laboratory conditions.
biological control; chysopidae; leaf-roller
