ARS | Publication request: Introduction and Recovery of Delphastus catalinae (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) as a predator of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in Egypt

Submitted to: Egyptian Journal of Applied Sciences
Publication Type: Research Notes
Publication Acceptance Date: May 15, 2008
Publication Date: August 1, 2008
Citation: Abd-Rabou, S., Simmons, A.M. 2008. Introduction and Recovery of Delphastus catalinae (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) as a Predator of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in Egypt. Egyptian Journal of Applied Sciences. 23(8B):621-624.

Technical Abstract: Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Alyerodidae) is an important pest of many crops on a global scale. The use of biological control organisms such as coccinelid predators can help manage this pest. Delphastus catalinae (Horn) (Coleoptera: Coccinelidae) is an obligate predator of whiteflies, including B. tabaci. Specimens of D. catalinae were imported in 2005 and 2006 to Egypt from the USA for whitefly control in vegetable crops. The beetles were held in a laboratory colony to allow the population to build-up. D. catalinae adults (100 in 2006 and 600 in 2007) were then released in a field of whitefly-infested squash in Qalyubiya governorate, Egypt. During the first year of release and sampling (2006), adults of the predator were not recovered. However, a recovery of an adult D. catalinae was made in 2007. The results help in the understanding of the ability of this predator to survive in the field environment and help manage B. tabaci.