Feeding Preference and Foraging Behaviour of Eriopis connexa on Two Aphid Species

Abstract

Aphids are phloem-feeding insects that cause both direct and indirect damage to crops, reducing agricultural productivity. Among the available pest control strategies, biological control using natural enemies is a sustainable and effective approach. The ladybird Eriopis connexa (Germar, 1824) is a generalist predator known for its voracity and ability to exploit aphid populations across diverse habitats. This study aimed to evaluate the foraging behaviour and prey preference of E. connexa when exposed to two aphid species, Myzus persicae (Sulzer, 1776) and Aphis gossypii Glover, 1877, under varying ecological contexts. We conducted three independent experiments to assess: (i) preference across developmental stages (2nd vs. 4th instars); (ii) functional response to increasing prey density; and (iii) prey choice in varying species proportions. Results indicate that E. connexa lacks an intrinsic preference for either aphid species. Instead, its predation behaviour is significantly influenced by prey characteristics such as instar stage and relative abundance. The predator tended to consume smaller instars and more abundant prey first, suggesting decisions based on prey profitability. These findings enhance our understanding of predator–prey dynamics and biological control strategies involving aphidophagous predators in agroecosystems.