author(s)
Shafique Ahmed Memon, Dzolkhifli Omar, Rita Muhamad, Ahmad Said Sajap, Norhayu Asib, Arfan Ahmed Gilal

abstract
A functional response study of 3rd instar Chrysoperla nipponensis (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) larvae reared on artificial diet and Corcyra cephalonica eggs was conducted. Different prey densities of aphid, Aphis craccivora, papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus and whitefly, Bemisia tabaci were used. The larvae of C. nipponensis showed type II functional response to all prey species. The highest search rates (á) of larvae reared on artificial diet and C. cephalonica eggs were of 0.688 and 0.404 on mealybug and whitefly, respectively. Both, C. cephalonica eggs and artificial diet reared larvae showed maximum and minimum handling time on aphid (2.133 and 2.051) and mealybug (0.459 and 0.410), respectively. The maximum and minimum predation rate of artificial diet and C. cephalonica eggs reared larvae was recorded on aphids (0.487 and 0.468) and mealybug (2.433 and 2.177) respectively.