Whitefly Species Preferences of the Predatory Ladybird Beetle, Delphastus pallidus LeConte (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Description

Simple Summary Delphastus is a genus of small coccinellid beetles that specialize in whiteflies. Recent surveys have documented an increased abundance of the potentially native United States species Delphastus pallidus, which feeds on multiple whitefly species in South Florida. In controlled preference trials, we identified seven whitefly species as suitable prey. Bemisia tabaci was the most strongly preferred. These results show that D. pallidus accepts both waxy and non-waxy whiteflies, indicating its promise as a biological control agent for a range of whitefly pests.

Institutions

• Clemson University

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