How do I breed Lacewings?

[Ganoderma]

My interestes have moved away from inverts and my career is in sustainable agriculture. after experimenting with lacewings on various pests, namely mites, i am sold that they are by far the best solution for above ground mite infestations.

unlike chemicals in a bottle, these are not sold on shelves, and finding them is proving very problematic. i can get them occasionally, but when a crop is being infested, you need them on hand fast.

So, i am looking to keep a colony, or many, around permanently.

Does anyone have any thoughts, experience, ideas etc about breeding these? I have been reading a little on the diet, and i am wondering if i could perhaps use large bugs crushed up as a supplement to things like aphids which i can find for them but maybe not as a steady food source. the bee products i have also read used commercially i cannot seem to find locally, so i am looking for alternatives.

I also noticed a lot of research mentione dthey raised them XX generations on that feed then they collapsed. thats soemthing i am looking to avoid and am wondering if fixing that situation is as simple as providing live food like aphids?

thanks for any input

Edit: i am getting a culture tomorrow. here they send them with eggs laid on standard white paper. So for now i am planning on culturing in jars with holes filled with wool for ventilation and preventing escape. but after that i am still learning what is best kind of environment. for info sake, its high 20s (C) and always high humidity here.

 

[Louise E. Rothstein]

You might google "The Beneficial Insectary."
Since THEY do breed lacewings they know what to feed.
You might benefit by their information.

Are lacewings native where you live?
If they are it might be possible to take some of these and offer (temporary) shelter,supplementary food, and protection from birds until they can rebuild to sustainable numbers.

Although purchased lacewings may be a quick fix (and may provide needed experience) local lacewings might be more suitable for your climate,find more varied food,and be less likely to inbreed outdoors
than the probably caged imports that "collapsed" after "XX" generations under possible pathogen buildup,the same food all the time,and perhaps a lot of inbreeding.

Please consider learning to provide suitable habitat for local lacewings: they may well be native.
If they are,local lacewings will handle the climate better...
Otherwise,you will have to breed them in a controlled environment and release an occasional "sacrifice" for pest control.

Good luck!!!

---------- Post added 12-06-2012 at 12:05 AM ----------

You might google "The Beneficial Insectary."
Since THEY do breed lacewings they know what to feed.
You might benefit by their information.

Are lacewings native where you live?
If they are it might be possible to take some of these and offer (temporary) shelter,supplementary food, and protection from birds until they can rebuild to sustainable numbers.

Although purchased lacewings may be a quick fix (and may provide needed experience) local lacewings might be more suitable for your climate,find more varied food,and be less likely to inbreed outdoors
than the probably caged imports that "collapsed" after "XX" generations under possible pathogen buildup,the same food all the time,and perhaps a lot of inbreeding.

Please consider learning to provide suitable habitat for local lacewings: they may well be native.
If they are,local lacewings will handle the climate better...
Otherwise,you will have to breed them in a controlled environment and release an occasional "sacrifice" for pest control.

Good luck!!!