The effects of eight diets onthe biology of adult of Chrysoperla externa (Hagen, 1861) (Neuroptera:Chrysopidae) were evaluated under laboratory conditions with aims at identifyingeffective low cost artificial diets. A standard diet with yeast extract andseven diets composed of maca (Lepidium meyenii Walpers), soybean (Glycinemax (Linnaeus) Merril) and amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus Linnaeus),in the following combinations: yeast extract plus maca, yeast extract plus amaranth,yeast extract plus soybean, yeast extract plus maca plus amaranth, yeast extractplus maca plus soybean, yeast extract plus soybean plus amaranth, and yeastextract plus maca plus soybean plus amaranth were evaluated on the biology ofadults of C. externa. All diets contained honeybee, pollen and water.The influence of adult diets on viability of eggs, female fecundity, pre-ovipositionperiod, oviposition period, post-oviposition period, male and female longevityduring two generations of C. externa was evaluated. The eight diets testedobtained high viability of eggs under laboratory conditions. However, dietscontaining yeast extract, yeast extract plus amaranth, and soybean plus amaranthreached higher viability of eggs. Diets of yeast extract, yeast extract plusmaca, yeast extract plus amaranth, and maca plus amaranth were those that obtainedthe highest fecundity. In general, no significant differences were found betweenpre-oviposition period, oviposition period, post-oviposition periodunder eight artificial diets for C. externa, but there was a tendencyto be higher in second generation. Diets with yeast extract plus maca, yeastextract plus maca plus soybean plus amaranth permitted an increase of femaleand male' longevity in the second generation.
