The feeding behavior of aphid predators Hippodamia variegata (Goeze) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) on the parasitized Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

Increasing the effectiveness of natural enemies and protecting their populations is important for biological control. The interaction of parasitoids and predators with pests as well as the interaction of natural enemies with each other should be determined. Therefore, one of the issues that need to be focused is intraguild predation. In this study, the aphid consumption capacity of Aphidofag predator Hippodamia variegata (Goeze) and Intraguild predation with parasitoid Aphidius banksae Kittel, which is a different type of natural enemy, was investigated. According to the results, it was found that H. variegata completed the larval period in 17.9 days and consumed a total of 1633 aphids. Adult H. variegata individuals started feeding after exiting the pupa, and lived an average of 112.5 days (mean 3.5 months) until death and consumed a total of 24732.1 aphids. When the 4 and 7 day parasitic aphids were given as food to all biological stages of Hippodamia variegata, it was cocluded that the insect consumed 7-day parasitic aphids more than 4-day parasitic aphids. When mummies and aphids were given mixed in all periods of the predator and their food preferenced were examined. It turns out that the predator cannot consume mummies, but feed on aphids. It was determined that the insect consumed aphids less than aphids alone. In the experiment, it was found that when the mummy aphids only were given to the predator, adult and larval periods of the predator was found to be never fed.