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Cooperative Extension Service |
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Agricultural
Experiment Station |
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Aquaculture Division Home
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Insect Management
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Larva |
Adult |
Ground
Beetles - Several Species
Ground beetles are common in damp places. Adults are predaceous, feeding primarily at night. They feed on bollworms, cutworms, wireworms, and other lepidopterous larvae. They have been observed climbing the cotton plant to feed on bollworm moths and larvae. Several species of ground beetles occur in cotton fields.
Lady Beetles - Various Species
Several different lady beetles are common in cotton fields, including the spotted lady beetle and the convergent lady beetle. Both the larvae and adult stages are beneficial. They attack aphids and spider mites, and destroy the eggs and larvae of the bollworm, cabbage looper, armyworm, and other soft bodied insects.
Larva |
Adult |
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Lynx Spider |
Spiders - Various Species
Many species of spiders are found in cotton fields, including lynx spiders, wolf spiders, and crab spiders. Since spiders will eat most insects injurious to cotton, they are extremely beneficial. They catch their prey in webs or spread themselves out on the upper surface of a leaf in the plant terminal and await their prey.
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Syrphid Larva |
Syrphid Flies - Various Species
The larvae of syrphid flies prey primarily on aphids. The adults feed only on pollen and nectar. They lay eggs singly on cotton leaves. After hatching, the sluglike, green or tan larvae, consume eggs or young of their prey. One larva may destroy hundreds of aphids before reaching maturity.
Other insects, such an ants, dragonflies, long-horned grasshoppers, predaceous mites, predaceous thrips, brown lacewings, preying mantis, owlflies, ambush bugs, tiger beetles, and soldier beetles, may contribute to controlling injurious insects on cotton.
Parasites
Aphid Parasites - Various Species
These tiny wasps lay their eggs in the bodies of aphids. A few days after they lay an egg in an aphid, the aphid becomes paralyzed. The aphid stops feeding, becomes swollen and discolored, and finally dies. In a few days the parasite emerges from a circular hole in the body of the aphid.
Ichneumon Wasps - Various Species
These wasps vary in size and most are brilliantly marked. They can be recognized by their short jerky flights and constantly vibrating antennae. They deposit their eggs and complete their development inside a variety of destructive insects, including bollworms armyworm, and similar pests. In addition to ichneumon wasps, several braconid wasps attack bollworm and budworm larvae.
Parasitic Flies - Various Species
Parasitic flies resemble an overgrown gray, brown, or black-mottled housefly. These flies attack caterpillars by laying their eggs on them. The eggs hatch into maggots and complete their development inside their host. These parasitic flies attack many lepidopterous larvae.
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University of Arkansas • Division of Agriculture |
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