Statewide IPM Program, University of California
Natural enemies gallery
Listed by order and family name
Natural enemies are organisms that kill, decrease the reproductive potential of, or otherwise reduce the numbers of another organism. Natural enemies that limit pests are key components of integrated pest management programs. Important natural enemies of insect and mite pests include predators, parasitoids (parasites), and pathogens.
The UC IPM Natural Enemies Gallery includes natural enemy species commonly found on California farms and in landscapes. Additional species will be added over time.
For more information about natural enemies, purchase the Natural Enemies Handbook also available as an ePub.
PredatorsA predator is an organism that attacks, kills, and feeds on several to many other individuals (its prey) during its lifetime. |
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|---|---|
| Insects | |
| Order Coleoptera: Beetles | |
| Family Cantharidae | Soldier beetles, leather-winged beetles |
| Family Carabidae | Predaceous ground beetles |
| Family Coccinellidae | Ashy gray lady beetle, Olla v-nigrum =O. abdominalis |
| Axion lady beetle, Axion plagiatum | |
| Convergent lady beetle, Hippodamia convergens | |
| Fungus-feeding lady beetles, Psyllobora vigintimaculata and other Psyllobora spp. | |
| Mealybug destroyer, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri | |
| Multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis | |
| Pink spotted lady beetle, Coleomegilla maculata | |
| Polished lady beetle, Cycloneda munda | |
| Scale predatory lady beetle, Chilocorus bipustulatus | |
| Scale predatory lady beetle, Chilocorus kuwanae | |
| Scale predatory lady beetles, Rhyzobius (=Rhizobius) forestieri and R. lophanthae | |
| Sevenspotted lady beetle, Coccinella septempunctata | |
| Spider mite destroyer lady beetle, Stethorus picipes | |
| Spotless lady beetle, Cycloneda sanguinea | |
| Steelblue lady beetle, Halmus chalybeus | |
| Twicestabbed lady beetle, Chilocorus orbus | |
| Twospotted lady beetle, Adalia bipunctata | |
| Vedalia beetle, Novius (=Rodolia) cardinalis | |
| Western blood-red lady beetle, Cycloneda polita | |
| Whitefly predatory lady beetle, Clitostethus arcuatus | |
| Whitefly predatory lady beetles, Delphastus catalinae and other Delphastus spp. | |
| Order Diptera: Flies | |
| Family Cecidomyiidae | Aphid midge, Aphidoletes aphidimyza |
| Mite midges, Feltiella spp. | |
| Family Cryptochaetidae | Cottony cushion scale parasitoid, Cryptochaetum iceryae |
| Family Syrphidae | Syrphid flies |
| Order Hemiptera: True bugs | |
| Family Anthocoridae | Minute pirate bugs, e.g., Orius spp. and Anthocoris spp. |
| Family Geocoridae | Bigeyed bugs, e.g., Geocoris spp. |
| Family Nabidae | Damsel bugs, e.g., Nabis spp. |
| Family Pentatomidae | Rough stink bugs, Brochymena sulcata and other Brochymena spp. |
| Spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris | |
| Twospotted stink bug, Perillus bioculatus | |
| Family Reduviidae | Assassin bugs, e.g., Sinea diadema and Zelus renardii |
| Order Mantodea: Mantids | |
| Family Mantidae | Mantids, praying mantids |
| Order Neuroptera: Lacewings | |
| Family Chrysopidae | Green lacewings, e.g., Chrysopa spp. and Chrysoperla spp. |
| Family Coniopterygidae | Dustywings, e.g., Conwentzia barretti |
| Family Hemerobiidae | Brown lacewings, e.g., Hemerobius spp. |
| Order Thysanoptera: Thrips | |
| Family Aeolothripidae | Aeolothrips predatory thrips, Aeolothrips spp. |
| Franklinothrips orizabensis and F. vespiformis | |
| Family Thripidae | Sixspotted thrips, Scolothrips sexmaculatus |
| Spiders and Mites | |
| Order Acari: Mites | |
| Family Anystidae | Whirligig mites, Anystis agilis and Anystis baccarum |
| Family Phytoseiidae | Euseius predatory mites, Euseius tularensis, Euseius hibisci, other Euseius spp. |
| Neoseiulus predatory mites, Neoseiulus (=Amblyseius) californicus and other Neoseiulus spp. | |
| Phytoseiulus persimilis | |
| Western predatory mite, Galendromus occidentalis | |
| Order Araneae: Spiders | |
| Spiders | |
| Phylum Mollusca: Mollusks | |
| Class Gastropoda | |
| Family Stylommatophora | Decollate snail, Rumina decollata |
Insect Parasitoids (parasites)Larval stages of insect parasitoids feed on or inside of other insects, killing their hosts. Adults are free-living wasps or flies. |
||
|---|---|---|
| Order Diptera: Flies | ||
| Family Cryptochaetidae | Cottony cushion scale parasitoid, Cryptochaetum iceryae | |
| Family Tachinidae | Elm leaf beetle parasitoid, Erynniopsis antennata | |
| Tachinid flies, Erynnia, Erynniopsis, Trichopoda, and Voria species and other Tachinidae | ||
| True bug parasitoid, Trichopoda pennipes | ||
| Order Hymenoptera: Wasps | ||
| Family Aphelinidae | Armored scale parasitoid, Encarsia perniciosi | |
| Ash whitefly parasitoid, Encarsia inaron =E. partenopea | ||
| California red scale parasitoid, Aphytis melinus | ||
| Giant whitefly parasitoid, Encarsia (=Encarsiella) noyesi | ||
| Purple scale parasitoid, Aphytis lepidosaphes | ||
| San Jose scale parasitoid, Aphytis aonidiae | ||
| Scale insects parasitoid, Coccophagus lycimnia =C. lecanii | ||
| Whitefly parasitoid, Cales noacki | ||
| Whitefly parasitoid, Encarsia formosa | ||
| Whitefly parasitoid, Encarsia pergandiella | ||
| Family Aphidiidae | Aphid parasitoids, Aphidius colemani, A. ervi, A. matricariae, and other Aphidius spp. | |
| Aphid parasitoid, Diaeretiella rapae | ||
| Aphid parasitoid, Lysiphlebus testaceipes | ||
| Walnut aphid parasitoid, Trioxys pallidus | ||
| Family Bethylidae | Caterpillar parasitoids, Goniozus legneri and other Goniozus spp. | |
| Family Braconidae | Alfalfa caterpillar parasitoid, Cotesia (=Apanteles) medicaginis | |
| Grape leaffolder parasitoid, Habrobracon (=Bracon) cushmani | ||
| Family Encyrtidae | Bluegum psyllid parasitoid, Psyllaephagus pilosus | |
| California red scale parasitoid, Comperiella bifasciata | ||
| Caterpillar parasitoids, Copidosoma (=Copidosomopsis =Pentalitomastix) plethoricum =C. plethorica, C. truncatellum, and other Copidosoma spp. | ||
| Mealybug parasitoids, Acerophagus (=Pseudaphycus) notativentris, A. maculipennis, and other Acerophagus spp. | ||
| Mealybug parasitoids, Anagyrus fusciventris, A. kamali, A. pseudococci, and other Anagyrus spp. | ||
| Mealybug parasitoid, Leptomastix dactylopii | ||
| Redgum lerp psyllid parasitoid, Psyllaephagus bliteus | ||
| Scale insect parasitoids, Metaphycus flavus, M. luteolus, M. helvolus, and other Metaphycus spp. | ||
| Family Eulophidae | Asian citrus psyllid parasitoid, Tamarixia radiata | |
| Elm leaf beetle parasitoid, Oomyzus (=Tetrastichus) gallerucae | ||
| Giant whitefly parasitoid, Entedononecremnus krauteri | ||
| Greenhouse thrips parasitoid, Thripoctenus javae =Thripobius semiluteus | ||
| Leafminer parasitoids, Diglyphus begini, D. isaea, and other Diglyphus spp. | ||
| Western flower thrips parasitoid, Ceranisus menes | ||
| Family Eupelmidae | Goldspotted oak borer parasitoid, Calosota elongata | |
| Family Ichneumonidae | Caterpillar parasitoid, Hyposoter exiguae | |
| Family Mymaridae | Egg parasitoids, Anaphes iole, Anaphes nitens, and other Anaphes spp. | |
| Glassy-winged sharpshooter parasitoids, Cosmocomoidea (=Gonatocerus) ashmeadi and other Cosmocomoidea spp. | ||
| Leafhopper parasitoids, Anagrus daanei, A. epos, A. erythroneurae, and other Anagrus spp. | ||
| Family Platygastridae | Woolly whitefly parasitoid, Amitus spiniferus | |
| Family Pteromalidae | Giant whitefly parasitoid, Idioporus affinis | |
| Family Scelionidae | Stink bug parasitoids, Trissolcus basalis, T. euschisti, and other Trissolcus species | |
| Family Trichogrammatidae | Egg parasitoids, Trichogramma spp. | |
Weed herbivoresAdult or larval stages or both of invertebrate weed herbivores feed on or inside of undesirable plants (weeds). They kill their hosts, reduce weeds' reproductive capacity (e.g., seed production), or both. |
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|---|---|
| Insects | |
| Order Coleoptera: Beetles | |
| Family Chrysomelidae | Klamathweed beetle, Chrysolina quadrigemina |
| Tamarisk beetles, Diorhabda elongata and other Diorhabda spp. | |
| Family Curculionidae | Puncturevine weevils, Microlarinus lareynii and M. lypriformis |
| Order: Hemiptera: True bugs | |
| Family: Dactylopiidae | Cochineal scales of prickly pear cacti, Dactylopius spp. |
