As larvae, lacewings in the genus Chrysoperla are voracious predators of aphids and other soft-bodied insects. Unlike many lacewings, Chrysoperla sp. adults are non-predaceous and feed on pollen, nectar and aphid honeydew. Earlier studies observed that Chrysoperla sp. adults house symbiotic yeasts in their crops and suggested that the yeast may supplement amino acids missing in the largely carbohydrate diet (Hagen et al., 1970; Hagen and Tassan, 1972). These experiments also found that the yeast symbionts are necessary for optimal female fecundity (Hagen et al., 1970; Hagen and Tassan, 1972). In addition, Hagen et al. (1970) indicated that lacewings eclose without their yeast symbionts and must obtain them from the environment. Attempts to repeat the results of these earlier findings have been unsuccessful. Curing lab-reared Chrysoperla sp. of their yeast symbionts using fungicides and heat treatment has also been attempted.
Keywords: green lacewing, symbiont
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