BENEFICIAL PARASITES AND PREDATORS

American Weevil (Euhrychiopsis lecontei) and their larvae feed on Eurasian water milfoil. Holes drilled by adult weevils allow bacteria and funguses to infect the water milfoil stems and air to escape from them. Eventually, the once buoyant stems collapse like spent balloons into the mud.

Ambush Bug (Heteroptera Phymatidae) feeds on other insects.

Antlion (Neuroptera Myrmeleontidae) feeds on ants and other insects.

Assassin Bug (Heteroptera Reduviidae) feeds on other insects.

Bee Fly (Diptera Bombyliidae) larvae feed on the young of wasps and other insects.

Big-Headed Fly (Pipunculidae) larvae feed on leafhoppers.

Braconid Wasp (Hymenoptera Braconidae Diaeretiella rapae) feeds on aphids.

Carp Fish (Cyprinus carpio) feeds on water milfoil.

Caterpillar Hunter (Calosoma) feeds on caterpillars.

Cicada Killer (Hymenoptera Sphecidae) feeds on cicadas.

Damselfly (Odonata Zygoptera) feeds on other insects.

Dance Fly (Diptera Empididae) feeds on other insects.

Dragonfly (Odonata Anisoptera) feeds on flies, mosquitoes and midges. Their larvae feed on mosquito larvae.

Flea Beetle (Agasicles hygrophila) feeds on alligatorweed and leafy spurge.

Garter Snake (Thamnophis Colubridae) feeds on insects.

Great Barn Spider (Araneus cavaticus) feeds on flies and mosquitoes.

Ground Beetle (Coleoptera Carabidae) feeds on aphids and slugs.

Hedgehog (Insectivora Erinaceidae) feeds on insects.

Hover Fly (Diptera Syrphidae) feeds on aphids. Their larvae feed on harmful plant lice.

Ichneumon (Herpestes) feeds on mice, snakes, etc.

Ichneumon Fly/Wasp (Hymenoptera Ichneumonidae Diadema insularis) larvae feed on caterpillars and other insect larvae.

Ichneumon Fly/Wasp (Hymenoptera Ichneumonidae Eribolus terebrans) larvae feed on European corn borer caterpillars.

Jaglavak Ant (Dorylus) feeds on termites.

Lacewing (Neuroptera Hemerobiidae or Chrysopidae) larvae feed on aphids and other insects.

Ladybug (Coccinellidae Adalia bipunctata and Coccinella septempunctata) feeds on aphids and other insects.

Ladybug (Hippodamia convergens) feeds on aphids, Colorado potato beetle eggs and other insects.

Ladybug (Rodolia cardinalis) feeds on cottony-cushion scale.

Ladybug larvae devour eggs, aphids, mites and scale insects.

Milky Spore (Bacillus popillae-Dutky) kills underground Japanese beetle larvae.

Mole (Insectivora Talpidae) feeds on beetle larvae.

Paper Wasp (Hymenoptera Apocrita Vespidae polistes) feeds on caterpillars, including cabbageworms, gypsy moth and tobacco hornworms.

Praying Mantis (Mantidae religiosa) feeds on all bugs, including each other. Not recommended.

Predator Wasp (Hymenoptera Apocrita Tiphia popillavora) feeds on Japanese beetle larvae.

Rove Beetle (Coleoptera Staphylinidae Aleochara bilineata) feeds on aphids, maggots and maggot larvae. Their larvae feed on maggot larvae.

Spined Soldier Bug (Podisus maculiventris) feeds on Colorado potato beetle, Mexican bean beetle and their larvae.

Syrphid Fly (Syrphidae) larvae feed on plant lice.

Tachinid Fly (Diptera Tachinidae Myiopharus doryphora) larvae feed on Colorado potato beetle larvae, European corn borer caterpillars and Japanese beetle larvae.

Tiger Beetle (Coleoptera Cicindelidae) feeds on other insects.

Tiphiid Wasp (Hymenoptera Apocrita) larvae feed on Japanese beetle larvae.

Toad (Anura Bufonidae) feeds on caterpillars, crickets, cutworms, grasshoppers, potato beetles, slugs, snails and squash bugs.

Two-Spotted Stink Bug (Perilous bioculatus) feeds on Colorado Potato beetle larvae.

Wasp (Hymenoptera Apocrita Chalcid) larvae feed on whiteflies.

Wasp (Hymenoptera Apocrita Eretmochelys) feeds on whiteflies.

Wasp (Hymenoptera Apoidea Pediobius furcellatus) larvae feed on Mexican bean beetle larvae.

Wasp (Hymenoptera Trichogramma) larvae feed on leaf-eating larvae, including caterpillar.

Wolf Spider (Araneae Lycosidae) feeds on leafhoppers and whiteflies.

ATTRACTIVE HABITATS

Flowers of alfalfa (Medicago sativa), alyssum, angelica, anise (Pimpinella), barley (Hordeum vulgare), basil (Ocimum), bok, broccoli, buckwheat (Fagopyrum), canola (Brassica napus), caraway (Carum carvi), chamomile (Anthemis or Matricaria), cilantro, clover (Trifolium), collard (need to be protected from wind and sun by mammoth Russian sunflowers), coneflower, coriander (Coriandrum sativum), corn tassel (Zea mays), cosmos, daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum or Bellis perennis), dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), dill (Anethum), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), goldenrod (Solidago), herbs, lilac (Syringa), lovage (Levisticum officinale), mint (Mentha), mizuna, nasturtium (Tropaeolum), parsley (Petroselinum latifolium or Petroselinum crispum), prostrate spurge, pussy willow buds (Salix discolor), Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota), sunflower (Helianthus), tansy (Tanacetum), vetch (Vicia), yarrow (Achillea), yellow rocket (Barberea vulgaris) and wild mustard (Brassica kaber), provide pollen, nectar and shade.

Avoid poisons, electronic “bug zappers” or outdoor lights.

Bamboo poles that are four feet high and placed four feet apart in a zigzag pattern attract dragonflies.

Six inch cube bottomless wooden boxes attached to stakes and placed in warm, sunny sites to be used for nests attract paper wasps. In the north, paint the boxes black or cover their roofs with tar paper to warm them up.

CONTROLLING GRAIN BIN PESTS

Pirate Bug (Lyctocoris campestris) feeds on aphids, beetles, caterpillars and moths, including Indianmeal.

Wasp (Hymenoptera Apocrita Anisopteromalus calandrae) young feed on maize (corn) weevil beetle larvae and rice weevil larvae.

Wasp (Hymenoptera Apocrita Cephalonomia waterston and Choetospila elegans) feed on beetles.

Processing grain sifts and washes away the beneficial insects.

BENEFICIAL PARASITES AND PREDATORS

by Robert A. Kroboth www.citizengadfly.com

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