Page "Silverleaf whitefly" Paragraph 19

Natural enemies are highly effective as biological controls.

Parasitoids, predators, and pathogens species of the whitefly keep the population under control.

The four Old World species of Eretmocerus ( Eretmocerus mundus, Eretmocerus hayati and Eretmocerus emiratus ) established in the Western United States are a group of genetic individuals of related taxa that are parasitoids of B. tabaci and serve as biological control agents.

Scientists are considering the idea of releasing these parasites in order to be able to control their host ’ s population growth and save the destruction of important crops.

Consequently, not all Eretmocerus can be successfully transplanted into areas where the whiteflies are present due to differences in climate preference.

For example, the species Eretmocerus melanoscutus failed to establish in the western United States due to climate issues.

Therefore one of the important factors that are involved in successfully implementing specialist parasitoids is the climate.

Goolsby ( 2005 ) mentions that different species of Eretmocerus are matched with the climate they are able to survive in.

The success of the species of Eretmocerus in the USA can be contributed to the smaller host range, better climatic adaptation, and higher attack rate.

Other natural species of the B. tabaci include several species of wasps, bigeyed bugs, lacewing larvae, and lady beetle larvae, which all prey on the nymphs of the whitefly.