Influence of colour on oviposition behaviour in green lacewing Chrysoperla zastrowi sillemi (Esben - Petersen) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

The Green lacewing, Chrysoperla zastrowi silleni (Esben-Peterson), also known as “aphidlion” is a beneficial insect predator of various insect pests. The laboratory experiment was conducted during 2018-19 to evaluate the substrate colour preference for egg laying by C. zastrowi sillemi. Egg receiving sheets were pasted with white, black, green, indigo blue, yellow, brown, violet, sky blue, pink, red and orange colour papers. Among all colours C. z. sillemi females preferred orange colour as a substrate for egg laying with maximum number of eggs (43.13/female/day) followed by red colour substrate (25.50 eggs/female/day). White and black were least preferred.