Diamondback moth (DBM) and other pests of cabbages and other cruciferes have a number of natural enemies that help keep their populations under control. This page introduces a number of these natural enemies of cabbage pests. Diamondback moth (DBM) larval parasitoids The following pictures show some important larval parasitoids of the Diamond-back moth, which is … Read more
Earwigs are insects belonging to the order Dermaptera. Most earwigs feed on decaying plant matter but some species are predatory and feed on a variety of other insects. They can be easily identified by their forceps-like pincers (cerci), which they use for defense. Many species are wingless and live in the soil or in enclosed … Read more
Lacewings are insects belonging to the family Chrysopidae (order: Neuroptera). Their larvae, and in some species also the adults, are predators of other insects. Primary prey: aphids, spider mites (especially red mites), thrips, whitefly, insects eggs, small caterpillars and larvae of beetles. Description and life cycle Most adult lacewings are pale green in color. They … Read more
Assassin bugs are predatory bugs belonging to the family Reduviidae. They are medium to large elongated insects with distinct curved mouthparts held under their body. These bugs move slowly, lying in wait for a variety of insect prey before injecting it with a paralyzing toxin. They are predators that feed mainly on aphids, small caterpillars … Read more
Ladybird beetles are also called “coccinellids”, “coccinellid beetles “, “ladybugs” or “lady beetles”. They are beetles belonging to the family Coccinellidae (order: Coleoptera). There are many species of coccinellids and a big number of these are predators of other insects. In these species, both the larvae and the adults are predators, feeding on aphids, mites, … Read more
Primary prey: aphids, mites, moths, flies, beetles, etc. Predatory stages: nymphs and adults Description and life cycle Spiders are not insects. One of their major characteristics is that they have 8 legs (insects have 6 legs). While insects have three body parts (head, thorax and abdomen) spiders have only two major parts. The front part … Read more
The name Trichogramma refers to a number of tiny wasps belonging to the family Trichogrammatidae. They are stout-bodied, minute wasps, which can hardly be seen without a hand lens or microscope. Trichogramma is an important bio-control agent as they are egg parasitoids, mainly of Lepidopteran eggs. Up to three wasp larvae may develop in each … Read more
Anastatus are small wasps belonging to the family Eupelmidae. These egg parasitoids are mass produced in laboratories of the pest management centers of DOAE. Host eggs glued on cards are placed in plastic containers and adult female wasps are released to parasitize these eggs. The cards are then placed in the field where adult wasps … Read more
Many natural enemies (predators, parasitoids, pathogens) are commonly found in most crops where they play a role in the natural control of pests. Some natural enemies can be mass produced and then released in the field to stimulate natural control. In some case this mass production is done in laboratories, but there are also examples … Read more
“Bt” is the common name for a type of microbial insecticide which contains living spores and toxic crystals from a soil bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis. Bt is used mostly against larvae (caterpillars) of the diamondback moth, imported cabbageworm, cabbage looper, cluster caterpillars (armyworms), and tomato fruitworm (Figures 1-6). Many liquid and dry forms of Bt … Read more
