Beneficial Insects for Cannabis Plants

Beneficial Insects for Cannabis Plants

Professor DeBacco


List of Beneficial Insects
Syrphid Flies
Green Lacewings
Collops Beetles
Damsel Bugs
Spined Solder Bugs
Minute Pirate Bugs
Lady Beetles



Syrphid Flies (Flower Flies, Hover Flies)
Most beneficial for targeting mostly slow-moving, soft-bodied insects such as mealybugs and especially aphids.
Can also attack scale, and some species of thrips.



Green Lacewings
Adults feed on nectar, pollen, and honeydew, while the larvae are active predators of soft-bodied insect pests: aphids, thrips, whitefly, leafhoppers, spider mites (especially red mites) and mealybugs.
Purchase Larvae as this is the most advantageous for immediate treatment of a pest problem
Purchase Adults if you are seeking to establish a population



Collops Beetles
They are important predators for soft-bodied insects like whiteflies (all stages), small Lygus nymphs, aphids, mites, and lepidopteran eggs and caterpillars.
These can be important for the natural control of whiteflies in field applications along with selective insecticides.



Damsel Bugs
They are predators of aphids, moth eggs, and small caterpillars, including corn earworm, European corn borer, imported cabbageworm and some armyworms.
Other prey may include leafhoppers, small sawfly larvae, mites, tarnished plant bug nymphs, and asparagus beetle and Colorado potato beetle eggs and nymphs.



Spined Assassin Bugs
There are different species of assassin bugs
One of the largest (in size) of the insect predators
Typically feed on the various caterpillars such as corn earworm, zebra caterpillar, and yellow striped armyworm



Minute Pirate Bugs
One of the most common general predators in field crops but can also be used for indoor growing environments.
Emerging early in the spring, their diet consists of a variety of small pests which include thrips and white fly nymphs and aphids (as seen in the images)
They reproduce quickly, completing a total life cycle in just 3-4 weeks, making them effective at handling serious infestations quickly.



Lady Beetles (Ladybugs)
There are different species of Lady Beetles
They are natural enemies of many insects, especially aphids and other sap feeders.

Some species prefer mite or scale populations so if using them as a biological control check to make sure you are maximizing their effectiveness for your situation.






Link to Lecture Slides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12hip...

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