NATURAL ENEMIES:

PREDATORS & PARASITOIDS

Predators
Predators are species that have a life
stage that kills and eats living animals
for
development,
sustenance, and
reproduction.
Juvenile predators use prey
for growth,
whereas adults use prey for
Maintenance and
reproduction

Robber fly feeding on wasp

NON-INSECT PREDATORS
Non-insect predators are
found in several groups of
invertebrates such as
spiders,
mites,
and snails,
and In groups of vertebrates,
including
birds,
mammals,
fish,
and reptiles.
NON-INSECT PREDATORS
Spiders (Aranae)
All are predaceous.
They often show
habitat specialization
but rarely prey
specialization.
They lack host specificity and
are not suited for introduction to
new regions to control specific
pests.
NON-INSECT PREDATORS - Mites
Some 27 mite families prey on or parasitize invertebrates,
but only eight are important to biological control:
Phytoseiidae,
Stigmaeidae,
Anystidae,
Bdellidae,
Cheyletidae,
Hemisarcoptidae,
Laelapidae, and
Macrochelidae
are the most important and best known.
NON-INSECT PREDATORS - Mites
Several phytoseiids are reared
commercially for use against spider mites
in greenhouses and on high value
outdoor crops such as strawberries.
 NON-INSECT PREDATORS – Vertebrates – Birds

Many
birds and small
mammals feed on insects,
NON-INSECT PREDATORS –
Vertebrates - Fish
Fish have been used effectively as
biological control agents against
mosquito larvae.
Introductions of such
mosquito fish, however, can
damage native fish
populations through
competition or
hybridization.
MAJOR GROUPS OF PREDATORY
INSECTS
Important predaceous insects of
potential use in biological control are
found in
Hemiptera,
Neuroptera
Coleoptera, and
Diptera
Predatory bugs (Hemiptera)
Anthocoridae
Minute pirate bugs are important
predators of mites, thrips, aphids, and
eggs and young larvae of pests such as
European corn borer.
Predatory bugs (Hemiptera)
Geocoridae
Big-eyed bugs
(Geocoris spp.) are
significant predators of
whitefly nymphs in
cotton,
and of mites, thrips,
and aphids in orchards.
 Predatory bugs (Hemiptera)
Nabidae
Nabids feed on
Insect eggs,
aphids,
and other mall, slow,
or soft-bodied insects.
Predatory lacewings (Neuroptera)
Larvae of green lacewing (Chrysopidae)
are predaceous on
aphids,
whiteflies,
mealybugs,
thrips, and
eggs of various insects.
Predatory beetles (Coleoptera)
Coccinellidae
Coccinellids are predators of
aphids,
scales,
eggs of various
insects,
and spider mites.
Predatory flies (Diptera)
Cecidomyiidae
These flies are
predaceous on
aphids,
scales,
whiteflies,
thrips, and
mites.
Predatory flies (Diptera)
Syrphidae
Syrphids are important predators
of aphids
OVERVIEW OF PREDATOR
BIOLOGY
Most predators cannot complete
their life cycles on a single host,
but must find, subdue, and
consume a series of hosts to
mature and develop eggs.
Consequently, most predators require
high prey densities and must have a
mobile, highly efficient searching
stage to locate prey.
OVERVIEW OF PREDATOR
BIOLOGY
Unlike many parasitoids, predators
have nearly even sex ratios (50:50).
In most instances, unmated female
predators will either not lay eggs,
or, if oviposition occurs, the infertile
eggs do not hatch.
Predators vary in the breadth of their
prey ranges.