Whitefly Species Preferences of the Predatory Ladybird Beetle, Delphastus pallidus LeConte (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

<i>Delphastus</i> Casey (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Serangiini) comprises small predatory ladybird beetles that feed on immature whiteflies. Several <i>Delphastus</i> species are utilized as biological control agents. However, <i>Delphastus pallidus</i> (LeConte) has been understudied for the past several decades. Recent landscape surveys in South Florida revealed a marked increase in <i>D. pallidus</i> populations associated with multiple whitefly species. We evaluated whitefly species preferences of <i>D. pallidus</i> using choice and no-choice assays conducted in incubators and insectaries. Seven whitefly species were confirmed as prey and ranked in order of preference: <i>Bemisia tabaci</i> Gennadius > <i>Aleurothrixus trachoides</i> (=<i>Aleurotrachelus trachoides</i>) (Back) > <i>Singhiella simplex</i> (Singh) > <i>Paraleyrodes bondari</i> Peracchi > <i>Aleurodicus rugioperculatus</i> Martin > <i>Asiothrixus antidesmae</i> (Takahashi) > <i>Aleurodicus dugesii</i> Cockerell. Findings indicate that <i>D. pallidus</i> feeds on a taxonomically and morphologically diverse set of whiteflies, including both waxy and non-waxy species, which likely facilitates establishment and dispersal in ornamental and agricultural landscapes. This study is the first to document <i>D. pallidus</i> as a potentially native U.S. predatory beetle that attacks at least seven whitefly species. Knowledge of its prey preferences will inform mass-rearing strategies and potential deployment for whitefly biocontrol.