This README.txt was created by Junlin Cao (University of Auckland) and was updated on 09 Jul 2026

GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Cao J, Zhang Z.-Q. 2026. Lacewing larvae (Mallada basalis; Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) as potential biocontrol agents against greenhouse thrips (Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis; Thysanoptera: Thripidae): stage-specific predation, prey stage preference, development and survival.

2. Originators

Junlin Cao

3. Contact information

231 Morrin Road, St Johns, Auckland 1072

caoj@landcareresearch.co.nz
zhangz@landcareresearch.co.nz

4. Date of data collection

2025. The development and survival dataset includes observations from March to April 2025.

5. Geographic location(s) of data collection

Auckland, New Zealand


ACCESS INFORMATION

1. Licenses/restrictions placed on the data

CC-BY-NC 4.0 (Attribution-NonCommercial)


DATA FILES AND VARIABLES

Notes:

M. basalis = Mallada basalis.
H. haemorrhoidalis = Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis.
C. lactis = Carpoglyphus lactis.
Thrip or Thrips = Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis used as prey or diet.
Moth egg(s) = moth eggs used as a diet treatment.
Larval instars are indicated as I, II, and III.
In book1.csv and Book2.csv, I and II under the variable lacewing refer to lacewing larval instars.
In book1.csv and Book2.csv, I, II, pupa, and adult under prey-stage variables refer to developmental stages of H. haemorrhoidalis.
In book4.csv, I, II, III, cocoon, and adult refer to developmental stages of M. basalis.


1. book1.csv

The no-choice predation test of first- and second-instar Mallada basalis larvae feeding on different developmental stages of Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis over 24 h.

• lacewing: lacewing larval instar tested (I = first instar or II = second instar)
• thrip: developmental stage of Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis offered to the predator (I = first instar, II = second instar, pupa, or adult)
• add: number of thrips added to each experimental arena
• eat: number of thrips consumed after 24 h
• NO.: replicate number


2. Book2.csv

The choice/preference test of first- and second-instar Mallada basalis larvae feeding on first-instar, second-instar, pupal, and adult Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis when all prey stages were available together.

• lacewing: lacewing larval instar tested (I = first instar or II = second instar)
• no: replicate number
• I: number of first-instar Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis consumed after 8 h
• II: number of second-instar Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis consumed after 8 h
• pupa: number of Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis pupae consumed after 8 h
• adult: number of adult Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis consumed after 8 h

Notes for Book2.csv:

Each prey-stage column records the number of prey consumed during the 24 h test. The R code converts this wide-format file into long format for analysis. For the Manly's preference index calculation, the initial prey density is set as n0 = 10 for each thrips developmental stage.


3. book4.csv

The development and survival dataset of Mallada basalis reared on three diet treatments: Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis, Carpoglyphus lactis, and moth eggs. Each row represents one lacewing individual. Dates indicate when the individual reached the corresponding developmental stage. Cells marked "dead" indicate mortality before or at that stage; blank cells indicate that no date was recorded.

• diet: diet treatment for the lacewing individual (Thrips, C. lactis, or Moth eggs). In the raw file, this is the first column and may appear as "Unnamed: 0" before being renamed in R. The R code standardises these labels as Thrip, C. lactis, and Moth egg.
• No.: individual replicate number
• I: date when the individual was recorded as a first-instar larva / start date of the observation
• II: date when the individual reached the second larval instar, or "dead" if it died before this stage
• III: date when the individual reached the third larval instar, or "dead" if it died before this stage
• cocoon: date when the individual formed a cocoon, or "dead" if it died before cocoon formation
• adult: date when the individual emerged as an adult, or "dead" if it died before adult emergence


4. RCode.pdf

The R codes used in this study.