Breeding method of chrysopa lanceolata

Abstract

The invention provides a breeding method of chrysopa lanceolata, and belongs to the technical field of insect breeding methods. According to the method, a layer of vermiculite is flatly laid in a container, a layer of isolation object is placed on the vermiculite, pumpkins are placed on the isolation object side by side, mealybug pests are inoculated on the pumpkins, and a layer of isolation object is covered on the mealybug pests; the whole container is placed in an insect raising cage, the isolation objects covering the pumpkins are removed, the folded paper is placed on the pumpkins, and chrysopa lanceolata eggs or larvae are placed on the folded paper, or chrysopa lanceolata larvae are directly placed on the pumpkins. The chrysopa lanceolata breeding method provided by the invention has the advantages of low cost, simplicity and convenience in operation, easiness in large-scale production and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of insect rearing methods, and particularly relates to a method for rearing Plesiochrysa ramburi. Background Art

[0002] Plesiochrysa ramburi is a beneficial insect belonging to the genus Plesiochrysa of the family Chrysopidae in the order Neuroptera, and was first recorded in China in 2023. As an important predatory natural enemy of agricultural and forestry crop pests, this species has a wide range of prey, including aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies, psyllids, thrips, and the eggs and larvae of certain Lepidoptera pests. Selecting suitable prey and carrying out large-scale production are important prerequisites for the large-scale popularization and application of natural enemy insects. At present, there is little basic research on Plesiochrysa ramburi at home and abroad, and no research reports on the rearing technology of this natural enemy insect have been seen. For the more widely studied and applied species of Chrysopa at home and abroad, such as Chrysopa formosa, Chrysopa pallens, Mallada basalis, Chrysoperla nipponensis, Chrysoperla carnea, and Chrysoperla rufilabris, etc., Corcyra cephalonica eggs or Ephestia kuehniella eggs are mainly used for breeding, which have problems such as high rearing costs, cumbersome operations, and difficulty in large-scale production. Moreover, these several commonly used preys cannot meet the normal growth, development, and reproduction needs of Plesiochrysa ramburi and are not suitable preys for breeding Plesiochrysa ramburi. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for rearing Plesiochrysa ramburi to solve the problems such as high rearing costs, cumbersome operations, and difficulty in large-scale production of Plesiochrysa ramburi.

[0004] To achieve the above-mentioned invention purpose, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0005] The present invention provides a method for rearing Plesiochrysa ramburi, comprising the following steps:

[0006] 1) Spread a layer of vermiculite in a container, place a layer of separator on the vermiculite, place pumpkins side by side on the separator, introduce mealybug pests on the pumpkins, and cover a layer of separator thereon;

[0007] 2) Place the whole container described in step 1) in an insect rearing cage, remove the isolation material covering the pumpkin, place origami on the pumpkin, place the eggs or larvae of *Chrysopa ramburi* on the origami, or directly place the larvae of *Chrysopa ramburi* on the pumpkin.

[0008] Preferably, the method for preparing the origami described in step 2) is: cut a green crepe paper with a length of 10 - 30 cm and a width of 1 - 5 cm, and fold it into a corrugated shape.

[0009] Preferably, the number of the origami described in step 2) is 4 - 5 strips of origami per pumpkin.

[0010] Preferably, the number of eggs of *Chrysopa ramburi* placed in step 2) is within 100 per cage, and the number of larvae of *Chrysopa ramburi* placed is within 100 per cage.

[0011] Preferably, after the larvae of *Chrysopa ramburi* cocoon and pupate, pick out the cocoons and pupae and transfer them to a new insect rearing cage for eclosion or eclose in the original insect rearing cage.

[0012] Preferably, after eclosion, supplement nutrition. The components of the nutrition include yeast powder, honey and water, and the water is supplemented through a moist cotton ball.

[0013] Preferably, after eclosion, add a whole new container described in step 1) to the insect rearing cage. The female adults of *Chrysopa ramburi* will lay eggs in the insect rearing cage, and the hatched larvae will actively search for mealybug pests for feeding, thus starting a new rearing cycle.

[0014] Preferably, the isolation material is kitchen paper; the container described in step 1) is a porcelain plate with a length of 20 - 40 cm, a width of 10 - 30 cm, and a height of 2 - 6 cm; the pumpkin is a Beibei pumpkin with a diameter of 10 - 12 cm; the laying thickness of the vermiculite is 1 - 3 cm.

[0015] Preferably, the mealybug pests include *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*, *Pseudococcus brevipes*, *Planococcus lilacinus*, *Phenacoccus solenopsis*, *Pseudococcus citriculus* or *Phenacoccus manihoti*.

[0016] Preferably, the rearing temperature of the mealybug pests described in step 1) is 24 - 28 °C, the rearing humidity of the mealybug pests is 60 - 70%, and the rearing photoperiod of the mealybug pests is 14 - 18 h of light and 6 - 8 h of darkness.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0018] The present invention uses pumpkins as a feeding substrate for the new pineapple mealybug. The mealybug can continuously reproduce itself on the pumpkins, providing a stable and continuous food source for the larvae of the Chrysopa ramburi, thus avoiding the cumbersome process of frequently replenishing the consumed prey. The cost of raising prey using this method is low, and the entire operation process is simple and easy to implement.

[0019] The present invention lays vermiculite and kitchen paper at the bottom of the pumpkin, which helps to keep the pumpkin dry and reduces the risk of rot. At the same time, the kitchen paper covering the pumpkin can effectively absorb the excrement of the mealybug, which is beneficial to its healthy growth.

[0020] The present invention places green corrugated crepe paper on the pumpkin. It can not only effectively absorb the sticky substance secreted by the dorsal pores of the mealybug, reducing the defensive effect on the Chrysopa ramburi larvae, but also provides a hiding space for the Chrysopa ramburi larvae, thus reducing the mutual predation among individuals and improving the survival rate of the population. In addition, the mature larvae of the Chrysopa ramburi usually choose to spin cocoons and pupate on the crepe paper, which greatly facilitates the collection of cocoons and pupae. The color of the green crepe paper is similar to that of plant leaves, which can attract the Chrysopa ramburi to lay eggs on it, facilitating the collection of the eggs of the Chrysopa ramburi.

[0021] The gauze cage of the present invention provides a relatively free activity space for the Chrysopa ramburi, and at the same time facilitates the centralized mating of female and male adults; while maintaining good ventilation, the gauze net can effectively prevent the escape of the low-instar larvae of the Chrysopa ramburi and prevent the invasion of external scavenging small insects, thus ensuring the cleanliness of the breeding environment. The zipper door design facilitates the transfer of larger utensils, such as the insect-raising porcelain plate, and the sleeve design is convenient for daily operations, avoiding the escape of the active adult Chrysopa ramburi.

[0022] Compared with the feeding methods of other Chrysopa species, the feeding method of the Chrysopa ramburi proposed by the present invention has the advantages of low cost, simple operation, and easy large-scale production. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] Figure 1 A white porcelain plate for laying vermiculite;

[0024] Figure 2 The newly raised pineapple mealybug;

[0025] Figure 3 The appearance of the insect-raising cage;

[0026] Figure 4 The internal setting of the insect-raising cage. Detailed Embodiment

[0027] The present invention provides a feeding method for the Chrysopa ramburi, which includes the following steps:

[0028] 1) Spread a layer of vermiculite evenly in the container, place a layer of separator on the vermiculite, place pumpkins side by side on the separator, introduce mealybug pests on the pumpkins, and cover them with a layer of separator.

[0029] 2) Place the whole container described in step 1) in an insect rearing cage, remove the separator covering the pumpkins, place origami on the pumpkins, place eggs or larvae of *Chrysopa ramburi* on the origami, or directly place the larvae of *Chrysopa ramburi* on the pumpkins.

[0030] In the present invention, a layer of vermiculite is spread evenly in the container, a layer of separator is placed on the vermiculite, pumpkins are placed side by side on the separator, mealybug pests are introduced on the pumpkins, and a layer of separator is covered thereon. The container is preferably a porcelain plate, the length of the porcelain plate is preferably 20 - 40 cm, more preferably 25 - 35 cm; the width is preferably 10 - 30 cm, more preferably 15 - 25 cm; the height is preferably 2 - 6 cm, more preferably 3 - 5 cm; the vermiculite is disinfected by high-temperature baking, the laying thickness of the vermiculite is preferably 1 - 3 cm, more preferably 1.5 - 2.5 cm; the separator is preferably kitchen paper; the pumpkins are preferably well-shaped Beibei pumpkins, the diameter of the pumpkins is preferably 10 - 12 cm, more preferably 11 cm; the mealybug pests include *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*, *Planococcus lilacinus*, *Planococcus minor*, *Phenacoccus solenopsis*, *Pseudococcus citriculus* and *Phenacoccus manihoti*, preferably *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*; the feeding of the mealybug pests is preferably carried out in an artificial climate chamber, the feeding temperature of the mealybug pests is preferably 24 - 28 °C, more preferably 25 - 27 °C; the feeding humidity of the mealybug pests is preferably 60 - 70%, more preferably 62 - 68%; the photoperiod is preferably 14 - 18 h of light and 6 - 8 h of darkness, more preferably 15 - 17 h of light and 5 - 7 h of darkness.

[0031] In the present invention, the container described in step 1) is placed as a whole in an insect rearing cage, the isolation object covering the pumpkin is removed, origami is placed on the pumpkin, the eggs or larvae of Chrysopa ramburi are placed on the origami, or the larvae of Chrysopa ramburi are directly placed on the pumpkin. The time for placing the container described in step 1) as a whole in the insect rearing cage is preferably when the surface of the pumpkin is covered by Dysmicoccus neobrevipes by 2 / 3; the insect rearing cage is preferably a white insect rearing cage with a sleeve zipper door, and the specification of the insect rearing cage is preferably 20 - 40 cm × 20 - 40 cm × 20 - 40 cm, more preferably 25 - 35 cm × 25 - 35 cm × 25 - 35 cm; the mesh number of the gauze of the insect rearing cage is preferably 140 - 160 meshes, more preferably 145 - 155 meshes; the preparation method of the origami is: cut a green crepe paper with a length of 10 - 30 cm and a width of 1 - 5 cm, and fold it into a corrugated shape; the length of the green crepe paper is preferably 15 - 25 cm, and the width of the green crepe paper is preferably 2 - 4 cm; the number of the origami is preferably 4 - 5 origamis per pumpkin, covering four-fifths of the surface area of the pumpkin; if the origami gets wet, replace it with a new one in time; the number of the eggs of Chrysopa ramburi placed is preferably within 100 per cage, and the number of the larvae of Chrysopa ramburi placed is preferably within 100 per cage; when the number of mealybugs is not enough to cover 1 / 4 of the surface of the pumpkin, replace it with a new pumpkin with mealybugs. The mature larvae of Chrysopa ramburi usually spin cocoons and pupate on the origami and the gauze. After Chrysopa ramburi spins cocoons and pupates, pick out the cocoons and pupae and transfer them to a new insect rearing cage for eclosion or eclose in the original insect rearing cage; when transferring to a new insect rearing cage, place 40 - 60 cocoons and pupae per cage, and the number of the cocoons and pupae is preferably 45 - 55 per cage; after the adults in the new insect rearing cage and the original insect rearing cage eclose, supplement nutrition. The components of the nutrition include yeast powder, honey and water, and the water is supplemented through a moist cotton ball; then add a new container as described in step 1) as a whole to the new insect rearing cage and the original insect rearing cage. The female adults of Chrysopa ramburi will lay eggs in the insect rearing cage, and the hatched larvae will actively look for mealybug pests to feed on, thus starting a new rearing cycle.

[0032] The technical solutions provided by the present invention will be described in detail below in conjunction with the embodiments, but they cannot be understood as limiting the protection scope of the present invention.

[0033] Example 1

[0034] (1) Rearing of the prey of Chrysopa ramburi

[0035] Mealybug pests such as *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*, *Planococcus lilacinus*, and *Phenacoccus solenopsis* can all be used as prey for feeding *Chrysopa langi*, among which *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* is the best choice. Common pumpkin varieties can be used to breed *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*, but Beibei pumpkins with regular shapes and diameters of 10 cm to 12 cm are preferably selected. First, spread a layer of vermiculite that has been disinfected by high-temperature baking in a white porcelain plate (30 cm in length, 20 cm in width, and 4 cm in height), with a thickness of 2 cm (as Figure 1 shown). Then, place a layer of kitchen paper on the vermiculite and place two Beibei pumpkins side by side. Subsequently, introduce *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* onto the pumpkins (as Figure 2 shown) and cover them with a piece of kitchen paper. Finally, move the entire porcelain plate into an artificial climate chamber, set the temperature to 26 °C, the relative humidity to 60% to 70%, and the photoperiod to 16 h of light and 8 h of darkness. When *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* covers two-thirds of the pumpkin surface, subsequent operations can be carried out.

[0036] (2) Rearing of *Chrysopa langi*

[0037] Move the entire porcelain plate from step (1) above into a white zippered sleeve insect rearing cage (30 cm × 30 cm × 30 cm) with a mesh size of 150 meshes (as Figure 3 shown). First, remove the kitchen paper covering the pumpkins, cut 10 pieces of green crepe paper that are 20 cm long and 3 cm wide, and fold them into a corrugated shape. Place 4 - 5 pieces of the folded paper on each pumpkin, covering approximately five-fourths of the pumpkin's surface area. Then, place the *Chrysopa langi* egg cards on the folded paper with the eggs facing upwards, and control the number of eggs per cage to be within 100. When the number of *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* is insufficient to cover one-fourth of the pumpkin surface, replace the pumpkin with a new one with *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*; if the folded paper becomes wet, replace it with a new one in a timely manner. The mature larvae of *Chrysopa langi* usually spin cocoons and pupate on the folded paper and the screen mesh. After pupation, pick out the cocoons and pupae and transfer them to a new insect rearing cage, with 50 cocoons and pupae placed in each cage. After the adults emerge, place 3 white mineral water bottle caps (3 cm in diameter) at the bottom of the rearing cage, and place yeast powder, honey, and a moist cotton ball respectively as supplementary nutrition for the adult stage of *Chrysopa langi* (as Figure 4 shown). After 5 days, add a porcelain plate with *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* identical to that in step (1) to the cage and cover the pumpkins with folded paper of the same specification. The female adults of *Chrysopa langi* will lay eggs on the folded paper or the screen mesh, and the hatched larvae will actively search for *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* for feeding, thus starting a new rearing cycle. If the number of larvae in a single cage is too large, cage division and propagation can be carried out.

[0038] Example 2

[0039] (1) Rearing of the prey of *Chrysopa langi*

[0040] Mealybug pests such as *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*, *Planococcus lilacinus*, and *Phenacoccus solenopsis* can all be used as prey for rearing *Chrysopa ramburi*, among which *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* is the best choice. Common pumpkin varieties can be used to breed *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*, but it is preferred to use Baby Bear pumpkins with regular shapes and diameters of 10 cm to 12 cm. First, spread a layer of vermiculite that has been disinfected by high-temperature baking in a white porcelain plate (30 cm long, 20 cm wide, 4 cm high), with a thickness of 2 cm. Then, place a layer of kitchen paper on the vermiculite, and place two Baby Bear pumpkins side by side. Subsequently, introduce *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* onto the pumpkins and cover them with a piece of kitchen paper. Finally, move the entire porcelain plate into an artificial climate chamber, set the temperature to 26 °C, the relative humidity to 60% to 70%, and the photoperiod to 16 h of light and 8 h of darkness. When *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* covers 2 / 3 of the pumpkin surface, subsequent operations can be carried out.

[0041] (2) Rearing of *Chrysopa ramburi*

[0042] Move the entire porcelain plate from the above step (1) into a white zippered sleeve insect rearing cage (30 cm × 30 cm × 30 cm) with a mesh size of 150 mesh. First, remove the kitchen paper covering the pumpkins, cut 10 pieces of green crepe paper that are 20 cm long and 3 cm wide, and fold them into a corrugated shape. Place 4 - 5 pieces of the folded paper on each pumpkin, covering approximately five-fourths of the pumpkin's surface area. Then, place the *Chrysopa ramburi* egg cards on the folded paper with the eggs facing upwards, and control the number of eggs per cage to be within 100. When the number of *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* is insufficient to cover 1 / 4 of the pumpkin surface, replace the pumpkin with a new one with *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*; if the folded paper becomes wet, replace it with a new one in a timely manner. The mature larvae of *Chrysopa ramburi* usually spin cocoons and pupate on the folded paper and the mesh. Do not pick out the cocoons and pupae, and let them emerge in the original rearing cage; after the adults emerge, place 3 white mineral water bottle caps (3 cm in diameter) at the bottom of the rearing cage, and place yeast powder, honey, and a moist cotton ball respectively as supplementary nutrition for the adult stage of *Chrysopa ramburi*, and replenish water every 2 days; after 5 days, add a porcelain plate with *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* identical to that in step (1) to the cage, and cover the pumpkins with folded paper of the same specification. The female adults of *Chrysopa ramburi* will lay eggs on the folded paper or the mesh, and the hatched larvae will actively search for *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* for feeding, thus starting a new rearing cycle. If the number of larvae in a single cage is too large, cage splitting and propagation can be carried out.

[0043] Example 3

[0044] (1) Rearing of the prey of *Chrysopa ramburi*

[0045] Mealybug pests such as *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*, *Planococcus lilacinus*, and *Phenacoccus solenopsis* can all be used as prey for rearing *Chrysopa ramburi*, among which *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* is the best choice. Common pumpkin varieties can be used to breed *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*, but Beibei pumpkins with regular shapes and diameters of 10 cm to 12 cm are preferably selected. First, spread a layer of vermiculite that has been disinfected by high-temperature baking in a white porcelain plate (30 cm long, 20 cm wide, 4 cm high), with a thickness of 2 cm. Then, place a layer of kitchen paper on the vermiculite, and place two Beibei pumpkins side by side. Subsequently, introduce *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* onto the pumpkins, and cover them with a piece of kitchen paper. Finally, move the entire porcelain plate into an artificial climate chamber, set the temperature to 26 °C, the relative humidity to 60% to 70%, and the photoperiod to 16 h of light and 8 h of darkness. When *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* covers 2 / 3 of the pumpkin surface, subsequent operations can be carried out.

[0046] (2) Rearing of *Chrysopa ramburi*

[0047] Move the entire porcelain plate in the above step (1) into a white sleeved zippered insect rearing cage (30 cm × 30 cm × 30 cm), with a mesh size of 150 meshes. First, remove the kitchen paper covering the pumpkins, cut 10 pieces of green folded flower crepe paper that are 20 cm long and 3 cm wide, and fold them into a corrugated shape. Place 4 - 5 pieces of the folded paper on each pumpkin, covering approximately five-fourths of the pumpkin surface area. Then, place the *Chrysopa ramburi* larvae on the folded paper, and control the number of larvae in each cage to be within 100. When the number of *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* is insufficient to cover 1 / 4 of the pumpkin surface, replace the pumpkin with new *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*; if the folded paper becomes wet, replace it with new folded paper in a timely manner. The mature larvae of *Chrysopa ramburi* usually spin cocoons and pupate on the folded paper and the screen mesh. After pupation, pick out the cocoons and pupae and transfer them to a new insect rearing cage, with 50 cocoons and pupae placed in each cage. After the adults emerge, place 3 white mineral water bottle caps (3 cm in diameter) at the bottom of the rearing cage, and place yeast powder, honey, and a moist cotton ball respectively as supplementary nutrition for the adult stage of *Chrysopa ramburi*. After 5 days, add a porcelain plate with *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* identical to that in step (1) to the cage, and cover the pumpkins with folded paper of the same specification. The female adult *Chrysopa ramburi* will lay eggs on the folded paper or the screen mesh, and the hatched larvae will actively search for *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* for feeding, thus starting a new rearing cycle. If the number of larvae in a single cage is too large, sub-caging and expansion can be carried out.

[0048] Example 4

[0049] (1) Rearing of the prey of *Chrysopa ramburi*

[0050] Mealybug pests such as *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*, *Planococcus lilacinus*, and *Phenacoccus solenopsis* can all be used as prey for rearing *Chrysoperla langi*, among which *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* is the best choice. Common pumpkin varieties can be used to breed *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*, but Beibei pumpkins with regular shapes and diameters of 10 cm to 12 cm are preferred. First, spread a layer of vermiculite that has been disinfected by high-temperature baking in a white porcelain plate (30 cm in length, 20 cm in width, and 4 cm in height), with a thickness of 2 cm. Then, place a layer of kitchen paper on the vermiculite, and place two Beibei pumpkins side by side. Subsequently, introduce *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* onto the pumpkins and cover them with a piece of kitchen paper. Finally, move the entire porcelain plate into an artificial climate chamber, set the temperature to 26 °C, the relative humidity to 60% to 70%, and the photoperiod to 16 h of light and 8 h of darkness. When *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* covers 2 / 3 of the pumpkin surface, subsequent operations can be carried out.

[0051] (2) Rearing of *Chrysoperla langi*

[0052] Move the entire porcelain plate in the above step (1) into a white sleeved zippered door insect rearing cage (30 cm × 30 cm × 30 cm), with a mesh size of 150 mesh. First, remove the kitchen paper covering the pumpkins, cut 10 pieces of green folded flower crepe paper that are 20 cm long and 3 cm wide, and fold them into a corrugated shape. Place 4 to 5 pieces of the folded paper on each pumpkin, covering approximately five-fourths of the pumpkin surface area. Then, place the larvae of *Chrysoperla langi* on the folded paper, with the number of larvae per cage controlled within 100. When the number of *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* is insufficient to cover 1 / 4 of the pumpkin surface, replace the pumpkin with a new one with *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*; if the folded paper becomes wet, replace it with a new one in a timely manner. The mature larvae of *Chrysoperla langi* usually spin cocoons and pupate on the folded paper and the screen mesh. Do not pick out the cocoons and pupae, and let them emerge in the original rearing cage; after the adults emerge, place 3 white mineral water bottle caps (3 cm in diameter) at the bottom of the rearing cage, and place yeast powder, honey, and a moist cotton ball respectively as supplementary nutrition for the adult stage of *Chrysoperla langi*, and replenish water every 2 days; after 5 days, add a porcelain plate with *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* identical to that in step (1) into the cage, and cover the pumpkins with folded paper of the same specification. The female adults of *Chrysoperla langi* will lay eggs on the folded paper or the screen mesh, and the hatched larvae will actively search for *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* for feeding, thus starting a new rearing cycle. If the number of larvae in a single cage is too large, sub-caging and expansion can be carried out.

[0053] Example 5

[0054] (1) Rearing of the prey of *Chrysoperla langi*

[0055] Mealybug pests such as *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*, *Planococcus lilacinus*, and *Phenacoccus solenopsis* can all be used as prey for feeding *Chrysopa langi*, among which *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* is the best choice. Common pumpkin varieties can be used to breed *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*, but Beibei pumpkins with regular shapes and diameters of 10 cm to 12 cm are preferably selected. First, spread a layer of vermiculite that has been disinfected by high-temperature baking in a white porcelain plate (30 cm in length, 20 cm in width, and 4 cm in height), with a thickness of 2 cm. Then, place a layer of kitchen paper on the vermiculite, and place two Beibei pumpkins side by side. Subsequently, introduce *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* onto the pumpkins and cover them with a piece of kitchen paper. Finally, move the entire porcelain plate into an artificial climate chamber, set the temperature to 26 °C, the relative humidity to 60% to 70%, and the photoperiod to 16 h of light and 8 h of darkness. When *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* covers 2 / 3 of the pumpkin surface, subsequent operations can be carried out.

[0056] (2) Rearing of *Chrysopa langi*

[0057] Move the entire porcelain plate in the above step (1) into a white zippered sleeve insect rearing cage (30 cm × 30 cm × 30 cm), with a mesh size of 150 mesh. First, remove the kitchen paper covering the pumpkins, cut 10 pieces of green folded flower crepe paper that are 20 cm long and 3 cm wide, and fold them into a corrugated shape. Place 4 to 5 pieces of the folded paper on each pumpkin, covering approximately five-fourths of the pumpkin's surface area. Then, directly pick and place *Chrysopa langi* larvae on the pumpkins, and control the number of larvae in each cage to be less than 100. When the number of *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* is insufficient to cover 1 / 4 of the pumpkin surface, replace the pumpkin with a new one with *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*; if the folded paper becomes wet, replace it with a new one in a timely manner. The mature larvae of *Chrysopa langi* usually spin cocoons and pupate on the folded paper and the screen mesh. After pupation, pick out the cocoons and pupae and transfer them to a new insect rearing cage, with 50 cocoons and pupae placed in each cage. After the adults emerge, place 3 white mineral water bottle caps (3 cm in diameter) at the bottom of the rearing cage, and place yeast powder, honey, and a moist cotton ball respectively as supplementary nutrition for the adult stage of *Chrysopa langi*. After 5 days, add a porcelain plate with *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* identical to that in step (1) to the cage, and cover the pumpkins with folded paper of the same specification. The female adults of *Chrysopa langi* will lay eggs on the folded paper or the screen mesh, and the hatched larvae will actively search for *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* for feeding, thus starting a new rearing cycle. If the number of larvae in a single cage is too large, cage division and propagation can be carried out.

[0058] Example 6

[0059] (1) Rearing of the prey of *Chrysopa langi*

[0060] Mealybug pests such as *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*, *Planococcus lilacinus*, and *Phenacoccus solenopsis* can all be used as prey for rearing *Wesmaelius ramakrishnai*, among which *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* is the best choice. Common pumpkin varieties can be used to breed *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*, but Beibei pumpkins with regular shapes and diameters of 10 cm to 12 cm are preferably selected. First, spread a layer of vermiculite that has been disinfected by high-temperature baking in a white porcelain plate (30 cm in length, 20 cm in width, and 4 cm in height), with a thickness of 2 cm. Then, place a layer of kitchen paper on the vermiculite, and place two Beibei pumpkins side by side. Subsequently, introduce *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* onto the pumpkins and cover them with a piece of kitchen paper. Finally, move the entire porcelain plate into an artificial climate chamber, set the temperature to 26 °C, the relative humidity to 60% to 70%, and the photoperiod to 16 h of light and 8 h of darkness. When *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* covers 2 / 3 of the pumpkin surface, subsequent operations can be carried out.

[0061] (2) Rearing of *Wesmaelius ramakrishnai*

[0062] Move the entire porcelain plate in step (1) above into a white sleeved zippered door insect rearing cage (30 cm × 30 cm × 30 cm) with a mesh size of 150 meshes. First, remove the kitchen paper covering the pumpkins, cut 10 pieces of green folded crepe paper that are 20 cm long and 3 cm wide, and fold them into a corrugated shape. Place 4 to 5 pieces of the folded paper on each pumpkin, covering approximately five-fourths of the pumpkin surface area. Then, directly pick and place *Wesmaelius ramakrishnai* larvae on the pumpkins, and control the number of larvae in each cage to less than 100. When the number of *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* is insufficient to cover 1 / 4 of the pumpkin surface, replace the pumpkin with a new one with *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*; if the folded paper becomes wet, replace it with a new one in a timely manner. The mature larvae of *Wesmaelius ramakrishnai* usually spin cocoons and pupate on the folded paper and the screen mesh. Do not pick out the cocoons and pupae, and let them emerge in the original rearing cage; after the adults emerge, place 3 white mineral water bottle caps (3 cm in diameter) at the bottom of the rearing cage, and place yeast powder, honey, and a moist cotton ball respectively as supplementary nutrition for the adult stage of *Wesmaelius ramakrishnai*, and replenish water every 2 days; after 5 days, add a porcelain plate with *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* in the same specification as in step (1) to the cage, and cover the pumpkins with folded paper of the same specification. The female adults of *Wesmaelius ramakrishnai* will lay eggs on the folded paper or the screen mesh, and the hatched larvae will actively search for *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes* for feeding, thus starting a new rearing cycle. If the number of larvae in a single cage is too large, cage splitting and propagation can be carried out.

[0063] Experimental Example 1

[0064] Effect of Different Preys on the Normal Growth and Development of *Wesmaelius ramakrishnai*

[0065] 1. Test Insect Sources and Rearing Methods

[0066] *Wesmaelius ramakrishnai*: The larvae are reared with *Dysmicoccus neobrevipes*; yeast powder, honey, and water are provided as supplementary nutrition during the adult stage.

[0067] Dysmicoccus neobrevipes: Fed with pumpkins.

[0068] Planococcus lilacinus: Fed with pumpkins.

[0069] Phenacoccus solenopsis: Fed with Hibiscus rosa-sinensis or cotton seedlings.

[0070] Bemisia tabaci: Fed with cotton seedlings.

[0071] Aphis craccivora: Fed with hydroponic broad bean seedlings.

[0072] Megalurothrips usitatiss: Fed with cowpea seedlings.

[0073] Eggs of Corcyra cephalonica: Directly purchased and stored in a refrigerator at -18°C.

[0074] Laboratory rearing environmental conditions: Temperature 26 ± 1°C, relative humidity 60% - 70%, photoperiod 16L:8D.

[0075] 2. Experimental scheme

[0076] Chrysopa ramburi was reared with the above 7 kinds of prey, namely Dysmicoccus neobrevipes, Planococcus lilacinus, Phenacoccus solenopsis, Bemisia tabaci, Aphis craccivora, Megalurothrips usitatiss or eggs of Corcyra cephalonica, respectively. The rearing container was a petri dish with a diameter of 9 cm. For the 1st instar, 2nd instar and 3rd instar larvae of Chrysopa ramburi, 50, 100 and more than 150 preys were provided daily, respectively, to ensure sufficient supply of preys until they cocooned and pupated. The initial number of Chrysopa ramburi larvae in each treatment group was 100, and each larva was numbered. After the adults emerged, the male and female adults were paired at a ratio of 1:1 and transferred into a disposable paper cup with a diameter of 7 cm and a height of 6 cm as an oviposition cylinder. At the same time, yeast powder, honey and water were provided to meet the nutritional requirements during the adult stage, and each oviposition cylinder was numbered. The growth and development of each instar of Chrysopa ramburi and the reproduction of adults were recorded, and the experimental population life table parameters of Chrysopa ramburi reared with different preys were calculated.

[0077] Experimental results: As shown in Table 1.

[0078] Table 1 Experimental population life table parameters of Chrysopa ramburi reared with different preys

[0079]

[0080] Note: The values in the table are mean ± standard error; "-" indicates that when feeding Chrysopa lansburyi with this prey, it cannot develop into an adult, so there is no relevant data; different lowercase letters after the data in the same column indicate significant differences (P<0.05) after paired bootstrap multiple comparisons.

[0081] As can be seen from Table 1, when feeding Chrysopa lansburyi only with Aphis craccivora, Thrips nigropilosus or Bemisia tabaci as prey, the larvae of Chrysopa lansburyi cannot spin cocoons to pupate or cannot emerge, and cannot develop into adults. Therefore, when feeding with these 3 kinds of prey, the population of Chrysopa lansburyi cannot be sustained.

[0082] When using Dysmicoccus neobrevipes, Planococcus lilacinus, Phenacoccus solenopsis or Corcyra cephalonica eggs as prey, Chrysopa lansburyi can complete its generation development, but there are significant differences in the feeding effects. Among them, when feeding Chrysopa lansburyi with Dysmicoccus neobrevipes as prey, the net reproductive rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (r m ) and finite rate of increase (λ) are 20.35, 0.0910 and 1.0953 respectively, which are all significantly higher than those of other prey, and the population growth rate is the fastest. When using Corcyra cephalonica eggs as prey, the intrinsic rate of increase and finite rate of increase are 0.0081 and 1.0082 respectively, which are both significantly lower than those of other prey, and the population growth rate of Chrysopa lansburyi is the slowest. The net reproductive rate, intrinsic rate of increase and finite rate of increase levels when feeding with Planococcus lilacinus and Phenacoccus solenopsis are in the middle.

[0083] Generally speaking, Dysmicoccus neobrevipes is the best prey for feeding Chrysopa lansburyi, Planococcus lilacinus and Phenacoccus solenopsis can be used as sub-optimal choices, Corcyra cephalonica eggs can only be used as temporary alternative prey, while Aphis craccivora, Thrips nigropilosus and Bemisia tabaci are unsuitable prey.

[0084] As can be seen from the above embodiments, the method for feeding Chrysopa lansburyi of the present invention has the advantages of low cost, simple operation and easy large-scale production.

[0085] The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that for those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the principle of the present invention, several improvements and modifications can be made, and these improvements and modifications should also be regarded as the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for raising a lacewings, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: 1) Spread a layer of vermiculite in a container, place a layer of spacer on the vermiculite, place pumpkins side by side on the spacer, inoculate mealybug pests on the pumpkins, and cover them with a layer of spacer; 2) placing the entire container of step 1) in an insect cage, removing the spacer covering the pumpkin, placing origami on the pumpkin, placing eggs or larvae of the Lamb's lacewings on the origami, or placing the Lamb's lacewings larvae directly on the pumpkin.

2. The breeding method according to claim 1, characterized in that Step 2) The method for preparing the origami is as follows: cut green crepe paper with a length of 10 to 30 cm and a width of 1 to 5 cm, and fold it into a corrugated shape.

3. The breeding method according to claim 1, characterized in that Step 2) The number of origami is 4 to 5 pieces per pumpkin.

4. The breeding method according to claim 1, characterized in that Step 2) The number of eggs of the Lamb's lacewings placed is within 100 per cage, and the number of larvae of the Lamb's lacewings placed is within 100 per cage.

5. The breeding method according to claim 1, characterized in that Step 2) After the lacewings have formed cocoons and pupated, the pupae are picked out and moved to a new insect cage for emergence or left to emerge in the original insect cage.

6. The breeding method according to claim 5, characterized in that The nutrition is supplemented after the emergence, and the ingredients of the nutrition include yeast powder, honey and water, and the water is supplemented by moistening cotton balls.

7. The breeding method according to claim 5, characterized in that After the emergence, a new container as described in step 1) is added to the insect cage, and the female adults of the Lansbergia lacewings will lay eggs in the insect cage. The hatched larvae will actively seek mealybug pests for feeding, thus starting a new breeding cycle.

8. The breeding method according to claim 1, characterized in that The separator is kitchen paper; the container in step 1) is a porcelain plate, the length of the porcelain plate is 20 to 40 cm, the width is 10 to 30 cm, and the height is 2 to 6 cm; the pumpkin is a Beibei pumpkin, and the diameter of the pumpkin is 10 to 12 cm; the laying thickness of the vermiculite is 1 to 3 cm.

9. The breeding method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mealybug pests in step 1) include the new pineapple gray mealybug, the pineapple clean mealybug, the south-sea hip-striped mealybug, the hibiscus mealybug, the citrus mealybug or the cassava mealybug.

10. The breeding method according to claim 1, characterized in that: Step 1) The mealybug pests are reared at a temperature of 24-28° C., a humidity of 60-70%, and a photoperiod of 14-18 hours of light and 6-8 hours of darkness.

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