Description
Delphastus Beetle- Delphastus pusillus is a small black beetle that preys on Greenhouse Whitefly (Trialeurodes vaporariorum) and Tobacco Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci). The dark brown to black colored adults are 1.4 mm long. The females have a slightly red colored head. The tiny cream colored larvae are covered with short fine hairs. The pupae are yellow and spherical.
The complete life cycle takes 25-21 days at 25-30°C. The females lay 2-6, yellow elongated eggs, standing on end, in clusters on the underside of leaves. The Delphastus adults and larvae feed on whitefly eggs and immature larval stages, then pupate along leaf veins on the undersides of leaves.
Delphastus is compatible with the parasitoid wasp predators of whitefly (Encarsia spp. and Eretmocerus spp.) because the avoid feeding on parasitized whiteflies. Delphastus are more efficient at high density whitefly populations.
