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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 #304730
Title: Ficus whitefly, Singhiella simplex, and its predation by a coccinellid beetle, Delphastus catalinae

Author
item Legaspi, Jesusa
item Miller, Neil
item MANNION, CATHARINE - University Of Florida
item AMALIN, DIVINA - De La Salle University

Submitted to: Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/2/2014
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Ficus whitefly, Singhiella simplex, is a pest of ficus plant such as Ficus benjamina, F. altissima, F. bengalensis and others. This invasive pest causes plants to exhibit leaf yellowing, wilting, and eventually, leaf drop. There is little information on the effectiveness of insect predators to control this pest. We studied predation rates of the ladybeetle, Delphastus catalinae, larvae and adults feeding on different stages of the ficus whitefly. Results indicated that both adult and immature D. catalinae preyed on more eggs than the small or large nymphs of the ficus whitefly under a 24-hr feeding duration. These data suggest that D. catalinae is a promising biocontrol agent against the ficus whitefly and can be part of an integrated pest management program

Technical Abstract: Ficus whitefly, Singhiella simplex, is a pest of ficus plant such as Ficus benjamina, F. altissima, F. bengalensis and others. This invasive pest causes plants to exhibit leaf yellowing, wilting, and eventually, leaf drop. There is little information on the effectiveness of insect predators to control this pest. We studied predation rates of the ladybeetle, Delphastus catalinae, larvae and adults feeding on different stages of the ficus whitefly. Results indicated that both adult and immature D. catalinae preyed on more eggs than the small or large nymphs of the ficus whitefly under a 24-hr feeding duration. These data suggest that D. catalinae is a promising biocontrol agent against the ficus whitefly and can be part of an integrated pest management program.