The European earwig Forficula auricularia L is an important predator of aphids and scales in New Zealand apple orchards To determine whether European earwig acted as a biological control agent of apple leafcurling midge (ALCM) Dasineura mali Kieffer their prey searching and feeding activity was investigated in the field and laboratory In the field in January earwigs started to leave their shelters at about 920 pm to search for ALCM larvae and returned to the shelters before 535 am with a searching peak on apple shoots infested by ALCM larvae between 1030 pm and 130 am Significantly more ALCM infested shoots and leaves were bitten by earwigs on trees where shelters trapped earwigs than on those where shelters did not trap any earwigs In the laboratory earwigs mainly fed in the first 2 hours after lightoff and each adult consumed an average of 6770 318 mature ALCM larvae during the scotophase (8 h) Heavier earwigs consumed significantly more ALCM larvae than light ones

Tasmanian lacewing Micromus tasmaniae (Walker) is an important predator of many aphid species This study investigated the effect of four photoperiods on predation development and oviposition of M tasmaniae in the laboratory at 21 1C and 60 RH Results indicated that no individuals entered diapause at either immature or adult stage At each photoperiod late instar larvae consumed significantly more aphids than early instar larvae (P

The Tasmanian lacewing Micromus tasmaniae Walker is an important predator of a number of economically important pests such as aphids This study was to investigate the patterns of adult emergence sexual maturation and mating of M tasmaniae in the laboratory at 211C 60 RH and 168 h (lightdark) Results indicate that adult emergence peaked 3 h before the scotophase began There was no significant difference in emergence patterns between males and females (P>005) The sexual maturation period of males and females was 47825 h and 65131 h after emergence respectively and this difference was significant (P