The rearing of beneficial insects

Abstract

Rearing of beneficial insects encompasses the synchronisation of 3 biological entities—the beneficial species, its host species, and the host plant or food. The purposes of rearing beneficial insects (parasitoids and predators) in the laboratory may be to study the insect itself, to facilitate the establishment of an introduced species, to accomplish a wider distribution of a previously established species, or to supply routinely for release for biological control. Not all insects can be reared in large numbers in the laboratory. The important qualities required in a laboratory reared insect are short life cycle, high biotic potential, simple food requirement, and alternative hosts. An insect rearing programme may be affected by reproductive, behavioural, environmental, physiological, nutritional and genetic factors. The goal of a large-scale rearing programme is to produce the maximum number of 'acceptable' insects with minimum labour, space, and cost. This may be achieved through standardisation of procedure, mechanisation of programme, efficient production, maintenance of quality control, effective sanitation, and microbial control contamination in the rearing laboratory.