We asked how physiological status during cold storage might influence the subsequent reproduction of mass-produced Chrysoperla carnea adults and the quality of their F 1 offspring. To achieve an answer, we examined the performance of adults and their offspring after adults experienced three treatments: cold-induced quiescence under constant low temperature, artificially induced diapause followed by constant low temperature, and natural diapause out-of-doors. Physiological state did not affect survival during and after storage under constant low temperature, but during extremely cold winter conditions, the naturally overwintering adults suffered significant mortality. Cold-induced quiescence resulted in a slight loss of post-storage reproduction (lower incidences of fertile oviposition and decreased fecundity and lifetime fertility), as well as reduced rates of survival and development in F 1 offspring. In contrast, adults that were either stored in an artificially induced diapause or overwintered naturally out-of-doors, exhibited sustained high levels of post-diapause reproduction and they produced high-quality F 1 offspring. Overall, storage of diapausing adults under constant low temperature resulted in both high survival and high levels of post-storage reproduction. Unstored, nondiapause pairs had significantly poorer reproductive performance and lower quality F 1 offspring than cohorts that underwent storage in a state of diapause. These data and other data from C. carnea adults collected early and late in the season indicate that the occasional intervention of diapause may help prevent deterioration of stock during continuous rearing of this predator.