With the exception of live prey, some lady beetle species consume alternative foods including pollen, nectar and fruit. These alternative foods support the development and reproduction of certains coccinellid species, while others do not benefit as much. The study examined the effects of prey and alternative food sources on the development and reproduction of predaceous coccinellid Coelophora inaequalis (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), utilizing eggs of rice moth Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and bee pollen as alternative foods, while Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae) served as the essential prey. Results revealed that 1^st instar of C. inaequalis larvae fed on A. gossypii and A. gossypii supplemented with bee pollen success to complete development with no significant differences in growth duration and survival rates (100%) across different developmental stages, including adult longevity and percentage of egg hatch. However, the total number of laid egg was significantly higher on the group that consumed exclusively A. gossypii. Results indicated that the switch from natural prey to exclusively alternative prey affects variously each instar larvae and adults of C. inaequalis. The 3^rd and 4^th instars larvae, which have been fed on A. gossypii since 1^st instar and then switched to exclusively alternative foods failed to progress to the next developmental stage. Only the 2^nd instar larvae fed exclusively on bee pollen or rice moth eggs were able to progress to the 3^rd and 4^th instar. Likewise, male and female adults of C. inaequalis survived for a temporarily time when exclusively fed on bee pollen or rice moth eggs.

Aphis gossypii, bee pollen, development, longevity, rice moth