Optimizing adult nutrition and mating duration to improve mass rearing of Chrysoperla zastrowi sillemi

Chrysoperla zastrowi sillemi (CZS) is an important predatory lacewing used in biological pest control across protected and open-field systems due to its high predation efficiency and insecticide tolerance. However, current mass-rearing practices are insufficient to meet commercial needs, primarily because of poor-quality production and low fecundity. This study integrates the functional response of different CZS larval instars with an evaluation of adult diet formulations and male exposure durations. By assessing both larval predation efficiency and adult reproductive performance, it provides insights to improve and optimize mass-rearing strategies of CZS. Larval functional response assays (n = 30) showed that sterilized Corcyra cephalonica eggs supported the highest consumption, with third instars feeding on 370.67 ± 49.53 eggs (t = 42.96**, p < 0.01). Adult diet trials (n = 20, triplicate) demonstrated that a mixture of water, 50% honey, protinex 20% and castor pollen produced the highest fecundity (426.60 ± 2.64 eggs/female, p < 0.0001). Mating duration experiments (n = 20, triplicate) revealed that a male paired with the female for five days exposure maximized fecundity (678.87 ± 2.66 eggs/female, p < 0.0001) while maintaining female longevity. Continuous male presence reduced both longevity and egg production, whereas virgins lived longest (54.73 days) but laid few eggs (36.53 ± 1.46 eggs/female, p < 0.0001). This study provides the first integrated assessment of diet composition and male exposure duration in CZS mass production, offering practical baselines for improving CZS mass-rearing protocols.