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Aphidophagous ladybird beetle, Cheilomenes sexmaculatus (Fabricius) developed and reproduced in captivity when offered alternative foods like drone honeybee powder, ant eggs or a combination of ant eggs and aphids (2:1). However, female ladybird beetles showed longer pre-reproductive delay and laid less number of viable eggs by feeding on alternative foods in comparison to those females which fed on living aphids. Adults fed on drone honeybee powder oviposited more number of eggs and such adults lived longer than those fed on ant eggs or a combination of ant eggs and aphids.

Monobremia rishikeshensis Grover (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) a predator of Aphis citricola Goot (Homoptera, Aphididae) infesting Chromolina odorata L., a common shrub weed in north-east India oviposit in aphid colonies and the larvae fed on the body fluids by piercing the prey. Pre-adult development took 17.5 - 19.6 days. In winter months, larvae spun cocoons and entered diapause until the rains in early summer. Observations on the life cycle and an inter-relationship in predator-prey-host plant are presented.

Early and late instar caterpillars of Spodoptera litura (Fabricius), a known pest of many vegetable crops and other economically important plants, readily ate live Aphis craccivora Koch and eggs of coccinellids, Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Fabricius) and Coccinella transversalis Fabricius in the laboratory. These caterpillars developed normally, similar to those caterpillars which were exclusively fed on foliage of mustard or bean plants. Such a feeding habit of S. litura reported here for the first time, could have important bearing in relation to prey-predator interaction in a seasonal habitat.

Early and late instar caterpillars of Spodoptera litura (Fabricius), a known pest of many vegetable crops and other economically important plants, readily ate live Aphis craccivora Koch and eggs of coccinellids, Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Fabricius) and Coccinella transversalis Fabricius in the laboratory. These caterpillars developed normally, similar to those caterpillars which were exclusively fed on foliage of mustard or bean plants. Such a feeding habit of S. litura reported here for the first time, could have important bearing in relation to prey-predator interaction in a seasonal habitat.

Aphidophagous ladybird beetle, Cheilomenes sexmaculatus (Fabricius) developed and reproduced in captivity when offered alternative foods like drone honeybee powder, ant eggs or a combination of ant eggs and aphids (2:1). However, female ladybird beetles showed longer pre-reproductive delay and laid less number of viable eggs by feeding on alternative foods in comparison to those females which fed on living aphids. Adults fed on drone honeybee powder oviposited more number of eggs and such adults lived longer than those fed on ant eggs or a combination of ant eggs and aphids.

Monobremia rishikeshensis Grover (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) a predator of Aphis citricola Goot (Homoptera, Aphididae) infesting Chromolina odorata L., a common shrub weed in north-east India oviposit in aphid colonies and the larvae fed on the body fluids by piercing the prey. Pre-adult development took 17.5 - 19.6 days. In winter months, larvae spun cocoons and entered diapause until the rains in early summer. Observations on the life cycle and an inter-relationship in predator-prey-host plant are presented.