File:  <museum7.htm>                                                                                                                                                <Navigate to COMMUNITY INSTRUCTION>

 

BENEFICIAL  INSECTS

 

Dr. E. F. Legner, University of California, Riverside

(Contacts)

 

 

There are many kinds of beneficial insects that pollinate our crops or destroy other harmful insects.  In fact  some biologists believe that there are just as many or more beneficial insects than harmful ones.  In the past the harmful kinds have received most attention because solutions were sought to keeping them under control.  However, careful studies have shown that one harmful insect may be parasitized or preyed upon by several different kinds of beneficial insects.

 

 

Some beneficial insects are shown in the following diagrams:

     [Use Landscape orientation to print]

 

 

 

DRAGONFLY-- captures and kills flies & mosquitoes

 

 

HONEYBEE-- pollinates crops & makes

 

 

VINEGAR FLY (Drosophila)-- inheritance studies

 

 

SARCOPHAGID FLY-- removes carrion

 

 

CYNIPID WASP-- sawfly parasite

 

 

ROVE BEETLE-- housefly predator

 

 

 

HISTERID BEETLE - predator of house flies

 

 

 

 

 

LADYBIRD BEETLE-- feeds on plant lice

 

 

 

SILKWORM LARVA-- spins silk

 

 

MAYFLY-- food for fish and birds

 

 

CHRYPTOCHAETUM FLY-- parasite of citrus scale insects

 

 

 

BETHYLID WASP-- orangeworm parasite

 

 

 

FIREFLY-- snail predator

 

 

 

PTEROMALID WASP -- parasite of house flies

 

 

 

 

ANT LION-- predator of ants

 

 

PRAYING MANTID-- general

predator of insects

 

 

CADDIS FLY-- food for fish

 

 

 

 

 

EVANIID WASP-- cockroach parasite

 

 

 

BACKSWIMMER-- mosquito predator

 

 

LACEWING-- aphid predator

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other texts and files in this series may be viewed by CLICKING on the following:

 

                                Secrets of Science  <museum1.htm>

History of Biological Control  <museum2.htm>

Introduction and Scope of Biological Control  <museum3.htm>

National and International Organizations Active in Biological Control  <museum4.htm>

Economic Gains and Analysis of Successes in Biological Control  <museum5.htm>

Trends and Future Possibilities in Biological Control  <museum6.htm>

Beneficial Insects  <museum7.htm>

Case Histories of Salient Biological Control Projects   <detailed,htm>

Guide to Identifying Predatory and Parasitic Insects  <NEGUIDE.1>, <NEGUIDE.2>... etc.

Insect Natural Enemy Photos  <NE-2ba.PCX>, <NE-2bb.PCX>...  <NE-247ba.PCX>... etc.

 

Special Reports

Meal Worm Project  <project.3.htm>

                Ladybird Beetles  <ladybird.htm>

                Fruit Flies in California  <fruitfly.htm>

                Killer Bees  <killer.htm>

                Monarch & Viceroy Butterflies <31aug95.mus.htm>

                Everywhere is Home <9feb98.mus.htm>

                Familiar Butterflies of the United States & Canada <butterfl.htm>