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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #424121
Research Project: Exotic Whitefly and Subtropical Invasive Pests of Vegetables and Ornamental Plants

Location: Subtropical Insects and Horticulture Research

Title: Whitefly species preferences of the predatory ladybird beetle, Delphastus pallidus LeConte (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Author
item AHMED, MUHAMMAD - Clemson University
item MANNION, CATHERINE - University Of Florida
item McKenzie, Cindy
item OSBORNE, LANCE - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Insects
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/9/2026
Publication Date: 1/13/2026
Citation: Ahmed, M.Z., Mannion, C.M., Mckenzie, C.L., Osborne, L.S. Whitefly species preferences of the predatory ladybird beetle, Delphastus pallidus LeConte (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Insects. 17(1):90. 2026. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17010090.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17010090

Interpretive Summary: Delphastus is a genus of ladybird beetles that prey on whiteflies. Recent surveys have shown an increase in the population of one of its potentially native US species, D. pallidus, feeding on various whitefly species. Our experiments identified seven whitefly species as prey, with Bemisia tabaci, a significant pest in the ornamental and agricultural industries, being the most preferred. These findings suggest that D. pallidus can feed on both waxy and non-waxy whiteflies, enhancing its potential as a biological control agent against whitefly species.

Technical Abstract: Delphastus Casey, a genus within the coccinellid tribe Serangiini, comprises predatory ladybird beetles that prey on whitefly species. Among these, Delphastus catalinae (Horn) [previously known as D. pusillus (LeConte)], D. davidsoni (Gordon), and D. pallidus (LeConte) are recognized as biocontrol agents. Despite limited information on D. pallidus over the past seven decades, recent surveys in South Florida have revealed a significant increase in its population, feeding on multiple whitefly species in the landscape. We conducted whitefly species preference experiments in incubators and insectaries for D. pallidus. Our study identified seven new whitefly species as prey, with a preference ranking from highest to lowest: Bemisia tabaci Gennadius > Aleurothrixus trachoides (Back) > Singhiella simplex (Singh) > Paraleyrodes bondari Peracchi > Aleurodicus rugioperculatus Martin > Asiothrixus antidesmae (Takahashi) > Aleurodicus dugesii Cockerell. These findings suggest that D. pallidus can feed on a diverse range of whitefly species, both waxy and non-waxy, facilitating its establishment and dispersal in the landscape. Moreover, our study is the first to report D. pallidus as the only potentially native US predatory beetle known to feed on at least seven whitefly species. Understanding its prey preference is crucial for future mass-rearing and biocontrol applications.