Studies on Biology of Scipinia subula Hsiao et Ren

Scipinia subula Hsiao et Ren is a predatory insect in tea plantation ecosystems. The effect of temperature and prey species on the development of S. subula as well as its oviposition was observed in laboratory experiments. The results revealed that, by feeding on Toxoptera aurantii Boyer as a prey, the development rate of S. subula increased with temperature at 4 tested temperature (20, 25, 30 and 35℃). The embryonic developmental periods ranged from 34.1 d at 20℃ to 6.5 d at 35℃. The entire nymphal developmental period reduced from 72.0 d at 20℃ to 26.9 d at 35℃. There is no significant difference in S. subula hatchability at the 4 tested temperatures during embryonic development, but significantly different mortality during nymphal development with lower mortality at 25℃ and 30℃ than at 20℃ and 35℃. No significant difference of developmental periods was observed between S.subula feeding on T.aurantii and Plutella xylostella (L.) as preys. With P. xylostella as a prey at 35℃, the fecundity of S. subula was 214.1 female eggs with pre-oviposition period of mean 8.0 d and oviposition period of mean 46.1 d,respectively.