Beneficial Insects R-Z

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Beneficial Insects R-Z

Robber Fly

• Larvae prey on other insect larvae as they grow up in the soil or damp wood


• Adults feed on grasshoppers, leafhoppers, wasps, dragonflies, beetles, bees, other flies, and many other insects


• Sizes are about 3/8 to 1 1/8 inch


• They are hairy bodied with a long tapering abdomen that are segmented, are usually gray to black


• Their legs are strong, make for easy grabbing of their prey

Rove Beetle

• Feed mainly on aphids, mites, nematodes, slugs, snails and flies


• Range in size from 1/10 to 1 inch


• These black or brown beetles have wings that are short


• They also aid in the breakdown of organic matter

Soldier Beetle

• These beetles feed on cucumber beetles, aphids, caterpillars, grasshopper eggs and other insects and their eggs


• Soldier beetles are a slender, elongated, relatively flat insects


• Range from 1/3 to 1/2 inches long


• Some species will have bright colors or markings in their back but mainly brown to black in color


• Larvae are flat with a velvety appearance

Spined Solider Bug

• Above feeding on Mexican bean beetle larvae


• Are sometimes confused with stink bugs which are real garden pests


• These bugs feed on pest varieties of caterpillars and beetle larvae


• They are usually about 1/2 inch long

Spider

• All spiders eat insects


• Some weave webs and some don't to catch their prey


• In North America, only the Brown Recluse and Black Widow are considered harmful to man

Syrphid Fly

• The adults are excellent pollinators, while the larvae prey on aphids and insect pests.


• They look like bees (yellow and black), but are flies.


• They are also known as the hover fly and the flower fly.

Tachnid Fly

• Look like house flies and are 1/3 to 1/2 inch long.


• They may be brown, gray or black in color.


• They are predators of pest caterpillars including cutworms, codling moths, tent caterpillars, cabbage loopers and gypsy moth larvae.

Trichogramma Wasp

• With a wingspan of 1/50th of an inch, is among smallest of insects.


• A favorite to use around crops like cotton, corn, tomatoes, avocados, walnuts, pecans, apples and alfalfa.


• They go after the larval stages of both moths and butterflies, which eat plant foliage.

Wheel Bug

• The wheel bug has characteristic dorsal armor, shaped like a wheel or cog.


• They are predators upon soft-bodied insects such as caterpillars, japanese beetles, etc., which they pierce with their beak in order to inject salivary fluids that dissolve soft tissue.


• Wheel bugs are common in eastern North America.

Whitefly Predatory Beetle

• Used in only high populations of whiteflies


• A beetle in development for whitefly control

Yellow Jacket

• They are beneficial as a predator of caterpillars, flies and beetle grubs


• Adult yellow jackets are about 1/2 to 3/4 inch in length


• Their sting is feared for good reason because of allergic reactions

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