Rearing of Ladybird beetle and study of life history with its predatory potential in IAAS, Lamjung Campus

1. Rearing of 7 Spotted Ladybird beetle
(Coccinella septempunctata) feeding on
bean aphid
Researcher:
Avin Kharel
Kharel Avin (IAAS)

2. INTRODUCTION
• "Ladybird" named has been assigned for the European beetle Coccinella septempunctata L.
for more than 600 years and extended all its relatives as the member of beetle family
Coccinellidae (Frank & Mizell, 2008).
• Coccinella septempunctata is the most common among all the species of ladybird beetle
found all over the world.
• They play a significant role in the biological control of the aphids.
• They are the voracious aphid feeder an average of about 30 to 77 per day (Sigdel et
al.,2016).
• According to University Extension Service, a single ladybird can prey up to 5000 aphids in its
lifecycle.
• They are predators in both adult and larval stages, with a voracious appetite and predatory
abilities (Oliveira et al., 2004; Olkowski & Thiers, 1990; Vandenberg, 2002).

3. TAXONOMIC POSITION
Scientific Name: Coccinella septempunctata
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthopoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Family: Coccinellidae
Genus: Coccinella
Species: septempunctata ©Avin Kharel
(Linnaeus, 1758)

4. LIFE HISTORY
• Ladybird beetles develop through 4 life stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult.
• Adult female lays about 200-300 eggs during her growing lifespan of about 2
months.
• Larva develops through four increasingly larger instars after hatching.
• They can have up to 5 generations per year.
• Egg to adult development time is about 6 weeks during the growing season.
• According to University Extension Service, a single ladybird can prey up to 5000
aphids in its lifecycle.

6. LIFE HISTORY
EGGS
• Eggs are spindle shaped, orange or
yellowish.
• About 1/25 inch (1 mm) long.
• Laid on leaves or green stems, upright on
their end and in clusters of about 10 to 30
eggs.
• Environmental factors, ease with which a
mate is found and the condition of the
female affect the number of eggs laid
(Majerus and Kearns, 1989). ©Avin Kharel

7. LIFE HISTORY
Larvae
• A single batch of eggs hatched simultaneously
and larvae remained in cluster.
• Soft bodied, brownish-black, elongated or
somewhat flattened and covered with minute
spiny structure.
• Passed through four larval instars with 3
moults.
• Total larval period is within 6-9 days (1st instar:
1-2 days, 2nd instar: 2-4 days, 3rd instar: 2-4
days, 4th instar: 2-4 days) ©Avin Kharel

8. 1st Instar 2nd Instar

9. 4th Instar
3rd Instar
@Bugs for Bugs

10. LIFE HISTORY
pupae
• Stage after pre-pupal period.
• Not completely immobile. Able to raise and lower
the fore region in response to perceived danger
(Majerus and Kearns, 1989).
• Colour develop into light orange pupae at high
temperatures and dark-brown or blackish ones at
low temperatures (Majerus and Kearns, 1989).
• Sattar et al. (2008) reported total pupal duration as
4.9±0.58 days when fed Aphis gossypii.
©Avin Kharel

11. LIFE HISTORY
adult
• Front of the pupal case splits to allow the emergence of
adult.
• When first emerged, the wings and elytra are very soft
and barely pigmented.
• Coloration develops over time and red color of the
background deepens over the next weeks and months.
• Average longevity was recorded by Kontodimas et al.
(2007) as 94.9 days at a constant temperature of 25±1°C,
65±2% RH and 16L:8D.
• Adults can be known to eat up to 100 aphids a day
(Arnett Jr., et al. 1980)
©Avin Kharel

12. methodology
• Adult 7-spotted ladybirds were collected from IAAS farm (Lamjung Campus).
• Male and female were identified and paired in petri plate for mating.
• Eggs were collected from them and 10 eggs were used for the study of lifecycle and
predatory potential.
• After hatching, 10 larvae were placed in ten petri plate for replication and lifecycle was
studied.
• Bean aphids were also provided in all four instars and adult period. Aphids were provided
by counting the number.
• Life history parameters of were studied in bio control lab maintaining the temperature
25°C and 50-70% RH.

13. Paired Male and Female for Mating Male and Female Ladybird

14. observation
S.N Stage Date Duration
1 Eggs 22th Jestha, 2079 3 days
2 Larvae 25th Jestha, 2079 7 days
3 Pupae 1st Asar, 2079 3 days
4 Adult 4th Asar, 2079

15. result
• Rearing of 7-Spotted Ladybird beetle was successfully carried out in bio control lab
of IAAS, Lamjung Campus.
• The total study period was 2 weeks from 22th Jestha 2079 to 4th Asar 2079.
• The predatory potential of different larval instars and adult was studied in which
the 4th instar larva is voracious aphid feeder.

16. discussion
J.S.Rana* and Jogesh Kakker Department of Entomology CCS Haryana Agricultural
University Hisar-125004, Haryana, India
• The incubation period was recorded to be 4.2 days with a range of 3.5-4.5 days. The
predator passed through four larval instars completing the average duration in 2.27,
1.81, 2.25, and 3.06 days, respectively. The total larval period was observed to be 9.39
days with a range of 8.2- 10.5 days. The pupal period lasted for 4.7 days with a range
4.0-4.9 days. (*Temperature: 20-23 °C , Aphid Species: Cereal Aphid, Sitobion avenae)
Avin Kharel Department of Entomology, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, IAAS
(TU) Nepal
• The observed incubation period was about 3 days. The total larval period was about 7
days and pupal duration was about 4 days. The difference in the life history might be
due to the difference in temperature as we observed the lifecycle at 28°C. Also the prey
of ladybird i.e. species of aphid which the ladybird feed made the differences in the
duration of lifecycle. (*Temperature: 28°C , Aphid species: Bean Aphid, Apis fabae)

17. Experimental Setup

18. THANK YOU