author(s)
Ashraf Ali, Sajjad Ahmad, Fazal Maula, Imtiaz Ali khan, BiBi Yasmin

abstract
Effect of temperature on consumption Food of the predator, Stethorus punctum Leconte reared on immature and mature stages of the prey, Tetranychus urticae (Koch) were studied at Agricultural University Peshawar and Agricultural Research Institute Mingora Swat, Pakistan during 2015. The effect of temperature on food consumption of S. punctum studied under laboratory conditions, at five different constant temperatures (15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 ºC). It was observed that the larval instars consumed more immature prey individuals at 15 ºC, followed by 35 ºC then 20, 25, and 30 ºC. Adult males of the predator consumed more individuals of immature preys at 35 ºC, followed by 30 ºC then at 15, 20 and 25 ºC, while the predator females relatively consumed more prey individuals than the males, at the same temperatures. When the larvae of the predator reared on mature stages of the prey, they consumed more prey individuals at 15 ºC, followed by 20 ºC then at 35 ºC. The adult males and females of the predator consumed almost the same numbers of the prey individuals. They consumed the highest number of preys at 35 ºC, followed by 30 ºC, and while the lowest consumed number were recorded at 15 ºC.