Development cycle of a potential biocontrol agent: the American hoverfly, <i>Eupeodes americanus</i> , and comparison with the commercial biocontrol agent <i>Aphidoletes aphidimyza</i>

Aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) are a major economic problem in numerous crops, including pepper, melon, and potato. Larvae of the American hoverfly, Eupeodes americanus (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Syrphidae), common aphidophagous natural enemies agrosystems North America. The objective present study was to characterize development cycle E. order evaluate its potential as biocontrol agent. cycle, survival rate, adult longevity were determined compared with those commercial aphid midge Aphidoletes aphidimyza (Rondani) Cecidomyiidae) under laboratory conditions, using green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), prey. complete preimaginal time, pupal egg hatching sex ratio, rate not different between A. aphidimyza. larval developmental time longer syrphid species, increasing predation window. Finally, drastically than that These results demonstrate for new