ARTHROPOD NATURAL ENEMIES OF THE COLORADO POTATO BEETLE

Mites, phalangids, spiders and insects have been studied as potential biological control agents of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say). Insects include lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae ), predatory stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae, subfamily Asopinae), parasitic flies (Diptera: Tachinidae), predatory beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinelidae, Cicindelidae, Staphylinidae and Carabidae) and parasiti c and predatory Hymenoptera. Both augmentative release and conservatio n of natural enemies are likely to increase in importance in Colorado potato beetle management, as broad-spectrum insecticides are replaced by more selective materials.