Larvae of the firefly Pyrocoelia pectoralis (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) as possible biological agents to control the land snail Bradybaena ravida

• Published in: Biological control Vol. 65; no. 2; pp. 176 - 183
• Main Authors: Fu, Xinhua, Benno Meyer-Rochow, V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.05.2013
• Subjects: Development; Feeding capacity; Firefly; Land snails; Pyrocoelia pectoralis; Development; Land snails; Pyrocoelia pectoralis; Firefly; Feeding capacity
• ISSN: 1049-9644; 1090-2112
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2013.02.005

[Display omitted] . ► The firefly Pyrocoelia pectoralis was successfully bred. ► There are two types of larvae occur after the third instar. ► Environmental conditions affected larval development and were studied. ► The effectiveness as a predator on the pest snail Bradybaena ravida was assessed. ► Use as a biological control agent is discussed. Rearing experiments with the firefly Pyrocoelia pectoralis demonstrated that the species can be successfully bred under laboratory and field conditions and that there are two types of larva: overwintering and non-overwintering. Comparisons showed that the differentiation between the two larval types occurred after the third larval stage. In the field, non-overwintering larvae pupate in September, emerge in October and produce a second annual generation, while overwintering larvae begin to grow more slowly from the 3rd instar onward, then overwinter to ultimately reach a larger size than the non-overwintering larvae and to pupate in September. Adults emerge in October. Larval development at 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35°C was investigated under a photoperiod of L:D=12:12. At 15°C all larvae died as 4th instars, but from 20°C to 30°C larval phases became increasingly shorter, while at 35°C they lengthened again. Larval feeding capacity increased with higher temperature up to 30°C, but decreased at 35°C. Under three photoperiods, i.e., L:D=16:8, 12:12 and 8:16 at 25°C, the larval period was shortest under L:D of 16:8 and longest under L:D=8:16. Feeding capacity of the larvae exhibited a positive correlation with the duration of the dark period. Larvae under longer periods of illumination pupated considerably earlier than those kept one under shorter periods of light exposure. No significant differences in the numbers of overwintering larvae were found in connection with different temperatures and photoperiods.