~ 2455 ~ International Journal of Chemical Studies 2018; 6(3): 2455-2459 P-ISSN: 2349–8528 E-ISSN: 2321–4902 IJCS 2018; 6(3): 2455-2459 © 2018 IJCS Received: 06-03-2018 Accepted: 07-04-2018 Patel Anjali H Department of Agricultural Entomology, N.M.C.A. Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat, India Shinde CU Department of Agricultural Entomology, N.M.C.A. Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat, India Correspondence Shinde CU Department of Agricultural Entomology, N.M.C.A. Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat, India Biology of ladybird beetle, propylea sp. (Coccinellidae: Coleoptera) on Lucerne aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) (Aphididae: Hemiptera) under laboratory conditions Patel Anjali H and Shinde CU Abstract Biology of ladybird beetle, Propylea sp. on Lucerne aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) was investigated under laboratory conditions. Biology of Propylea sp. on A. pisum revealed that mean incubation period of eggs was 2.66±0.48 days. The egg hatching percentage was 83.87±5.32 per cent. The total larval duration was 10.48±1.01 days; first, second, third and fourth instar durations were 1.64±0.48, 2.28±0.45, 3.06±0.31 and 3.50±0.51 days, respectively. The pre-pupal and pupal periods were 1.10±0.30 and 4.90±0.76 days, respectively. The adult emergence of Propylea sp. was 86.81±3.10 per cent. Mean longevity of male and female beetles were 31.10±2.70 and 35.46±2.62 days, respectively. The average pre-oviposition, oviposition and post-oviposition period were 8.01±0.89, 21.04±1.76 and 6.30±1.34 days, respectively. The fecundity of the female was 355.84±52.90 eggs/female. Total life cycle of Propylea sp. completed within 44.58±3.59 days by male and 46.42±4.64 days by female. The sex ratio of male: female was 1:1.40. Keywords: Biology, morhometrics, ladybird beetle, propylea sp., Lucerne aphid, Acyrthosiphon Pisum Introduction Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.), is a most important cosmopolitan forage crop, so it is called “Queen” of forage crops. It is originated in Asia. It was first observed to be cultivated in Iran before 700 BC. Lucerne belongs to family leguminaoae of genus Medicago. The genus includes 65 species, distributed in Europe, Asia and Africa. Among these, M. sativa, M. lupilina and M. falcata are useful species for fodders. Medicago sativa L. is known as prized green fodder. Lucerne suffers damage both qualitatively and quantitatively by aphid ( A. pisum). The quantitative losses recorded in India are about 37.7 per cent due to Lucerne aphid, A. pisum in lucerne (Ingawale and Tambe, 2007) [2] . With regard to diversity and significance of biological control, coccinellids, commonly known as ladybird beetles belongs to the family coccinellidae of order coleopteran ranks first. The members of the family occupy all the habitats and niches of their prey and distributed worldwide. Coccinellid beetles due to high foraging performance, immense predatory potential and high reproductive efficacy; they possess the potential to be effectively employed in biological control programmme for controlling several destructive insect such as aphids, whiteflies, mealy bugs, thrips, mites, psyllids and scale insects (Rakhshan and Ahmad, 2015) [10] . It has significant potential and use against crop pests in combination with other insect pest management tactics. Biology is an important parameter for every predator in order to efficient maintaining of laboratory culture. The knowledge of biology plays an important role in mass production and its utilization in pest management programme. To insight the information on description and duration of different stages of Propylea sp., the present study was undertaken in the PG Research Laboratory, Navsari Agricultural University, Navasri during the year 2017 as there was a paucity of information on biology of the predator. Method and materials Initial culture of Propylea sp. was maintained in the laboratory by collecting a large number of adults of Propylea sp. from Forage Research Scheme, College farm, NAU, Navsari. Field collected adults of Propylea sp. were kept in plastic containers and reared on Lucerne aphid, A. pisum. The present investigation was carried out in room temperature at 23.40 to 35.35 ºC (Av: