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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Gainesville, Florida » Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology » Insect Behavior and Biocontrol Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #288197
Title: Reproductive biology and predation by the ladybeetle, Delphastus catalinae (Coleoptera)

Author
item Legaspi, Jesusa

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/26/2012
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The ladybeetle, Delphastus catalinae, is an important insect predator of the silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii. This whitefly pest causes damage to plants through direct feeding and transmission of plant diseases. D. catalinae is a voracious predator of whiteflies in various plants such as vegetables, ornamentals, horticultural and row crops. This beetle is also mass produced by biological control companies and is popularly sold in commercial greenhouses, especially in Europe. We studied predation, development and reproduction of this predator to optimize its use in mass rearing and augmentation in field conditions.