Plant Protection science 🌱🦠🔬

Insect predator-prey relationship with lady beetle and aphids 🐞🦟🍅🍆🪴

🐞Lady beetles are voracious predators of aphids, which are common agricultural crops. They can feed on numerous aphids in a single day, helping to reduce aphid populations attacking the crop.

🥒While majority of them are important biological control agents, there are exemptions like the squash beetle which can be considered as pest.

🕷️Aside from aphids, which is known to be as their primary prey, lady beetles also feed on other soft-bodied insects like mealybugs, scale insects, and spider mites.

🚨The predation of aphids by lady beetles involves several key mechanisms.

📍Lady beetles have excellent vision and can spot aphids, through their bright colors and distinct shapes.

🧪Certain chemical cues (pheromones) are being released by aphids when they're under attack, which can attract lady beetles to the infested area.

💪🏼Lady beetles are also agile and can quickly capture their prey due to their strong, sharp mandibles. They use their mandibles to chew and consume aphids.

🔄During breeding cycles, lady beetles often lay their eggs near aphid colonies. When the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the aphids, further contributing to pest control.

🍃Lady beetles reproduce quickly, and both adult beetles and their larvae are efficient predators, leading to a rapid reduction in pest populations.

📹Video credit: https://lnkd.in/gnZ2Xq9g

#innovation #agriculture #agribusiness #biologicals #research #pestmanagement

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