Biological-control-target
Guides
Phyllotreta striolata
Striped Flea Beetle, Turnip Flea Beetle
Phyllotreta striolata is a small flea beetle (1.5–2.5 mm) in the family Chrysomelidae, native to Eurasia and now distributed worldwide. It is a major pest of Brassicaceae crops, causing substantial yield losses through adult feeding on aboveground plant parts and larval feeding on roots. The species exhibits strong positive phototaxis with peak sensitivity to blue wavelengths (350–430 nm). It has been recorded from diverse habitats including open prairie, boreal forest, and agricultural systems across North America, Europe, and Asia.
Planococcus
mealybugs
Planococcus is a genus of mealybugs in the family Pseudococcidae, comprising economically significant agricultural pests. The genus includes species such as Planococcus citri (citrus mealybug), Planococcus ficus (vine mealybug), and Planococcus minor, which infest a wide range of host plants including citrus, grapevines, and numerous horticultural crops. These insects cause direct damage through phloem feeding and indirect damage via honeydew secretion that promotes sooty mold growth; several species are also known vectors of plant viruses. The genus is characterized by small, soft-bodied insects covered in white, powdery wax secretions, with complex taxonomic histories involving multiple synonymies and cryptic species complexes.
Platycorypha
Platycorypha is a genus of jumping plantlice (psyllids) in the family Psyllidae, established as the type genus of the subfamily Platycoryphinae in 2021. The genus comprises approximately 16 described species, including two extinct species known from fossils. Species occur across the Americas, southern Europe, and Africa. Some species have become invasive pests in urban landscapes, notably Platycorypha nigrivirga on Tipuana tipu in Mediterranean Europe.
Plodia
Indian meal moth (P. interpunctella), pantry moth, flour moth, grain moth, weevil moth
Plodia is a genus of snout moths in the family Pyralidae, subfamily Phycitinae, erected by Achille Guenée in 1845. The genus contains three species, with P. interpunctella (Indian meal moth) being the most economically significant as a cosmopolitan pest of stored food products. Adults are small moths with distinctive wing banding, while larvae infest grains, dried fruits, nuts, and other stored goods. The genus is notable for its association with human food storage environments worldwide.
Polyphagotarsonemus latus
Broad Mite, Yellow Tea Mite, Citrus Silver Mite
Polyphagotarsonemus latus, commonly known as the broad mite, is a microscopic tarsonemid mite with a cosmopolitan distribution and an exceptionally broad host range spanning over 60 plant families. First described from mango in a Washington, D.C. greenhouse in 1904, it has become a significant agricultural pest affecting crops including cotton, soybean, peppers, strawberries, blackberries, citrus, tea, coffee, and increasingly, cannabis and hemp. The mite feeds on young, tender plant tissues, causing characteristic damage including leaf stunting, twisting, and distortion that resembles auxin herbicide injury. It thrives in greenhouse environments and tropical to subtropical climates, with development occurring between 10–36°C at high humidity. Management relies on acaricides and biological control using predatory mites such as Amblyseius swirskii, Neoseiulus californicus, and A. orientalis.
Protopulvinaria pyriformis
Pyriform Scale
Protopulvinaria pyriformis, commonly known as the pyriform scale, is a soft scale insect in the family Coccidae. It is a significant agricultural pest primarily associated with avocado, though it has been recorded on citrus and other hosts. The species exhibits parthenogenetic reproduction in most populations and possesses the unusual ability for a soft scale to move around as an adult female. It is known from multiple continents including Australia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas.
Pseudococcus
mealybugs
Pseudococcus is a genus of unarmoured scale insects in the family Pseudococcidae, commonly known as mealybugs. The genus contains more than 150 species distributed worldwide. Species in this genus are polyphagous pests of agricultural and horticultural crops, feeding on plant phloem and causing direct damage through sap extraction and indirect damage through honeydew production and sooty mold development. Several species have been introduced to new regions through international plant trade, with some becoming significant invasive pests.
Pseudococcus longispinus
long-tailed mealybug, longtailed mealybug
Pseudococcus longispinus is a cosmopolitan mealybug pest in the family Pseudococcidae. It is distinguished by two long, waxy filaments extending from the posterior abdomen of adult females. The species is a significant agricultural and horticultural pest, particularly damaging to grapevines, citrus, orchids, and tropical fruits. It is a known vector of Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3), transmitting the virus only during the first instar crawler stage. The species has been observed to develop three generations annually in temperate regions, with complex dispersal patterns shifting from exposed foliage in early instars to protected bark and fruit clusters for reproduction.
Pseudococcus maritimus
grape mealybug, vine mealybug
Pseudococcus maritimus, commonly known as the grape mealybug or vine mealybug, is a scale insect in the family Pseudococcidae that primarily infests grapevines (Vitis vinifera). It has been documented as a vector of Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 and, more recently, was confirmed to transmit Little cherry virus 2 to sweet cherry, making it an economically significant pest in tree fruit and vineyard systems. The species is part of a species complex that includes morphologically similar taxa such as Pseudococcus meridionalis. Research indicates limited natural dispersal capacity, with first instars rarely walking between plants and wind dispersal declining sharply with distance from source plants.
Rachiplusia
sunflower looper (R. nu)
Rachiplusia is a genus of moths in the family Noctuidae, subfamily Plusiinae, containing at least four species distributed across the Americas. The most economically significant species is Rachiplusia nu, known as the sunflower looper or "oruga medidora del girasol," which has emerged as a major pest of soybean and sunflower in South America. Larvae of this genus are characterized by the looping locomotion typical of Plusiinae, resulting from having only three pairs of prolegs. The genus was revised taxonomically by Barbut in 2008, clarifying species boundaries and distributions.
Russellaspis
oleander pit scale, fig pit scale
Russellaspis is a genus of armored scale insects (Asterolecaniidae) known primarily from the species R. pustulans, commonly called the oleander pit scale or fig pit scale. These insects are parthenogenetic, with no known males, and are significant agricultural pests on fruit trees and ornamental plants in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. The genus is characterized by its pit-inducing feeding damage on host plants and its ability to complete multiple generations annually under favorable conditions.
Solenopsis
fire ants, thief ants, ginger ants, tropical fire ants, red ants
Solenopsis is a genus of ants in the family Formicidae comprising over 200 species worldwide, including the notorious fire ants and thief ants. Members of this genus are characterized by their ability to deliver painful stings using a venom-injecting stinger. The genus includes some of the most economically and ecologically significant invasive ant species, particularly Solenopsis invicta (red imported fire ant), which has spread from South America to become a major pest across the southern United States and beyond. While fire ants represent a minority of Solenopsis species, they have disproportionate ecological and economic impacts due to their aggressive behavior, large colony sizes, and potent venom.
Spoladea recurvalis
Beet Webworm Moth, Hawaiian Beet Webworm Moth, Amaranth Leaf-Webber
Spoladea recurvalis is a small crambid moth with a global tropical and subtropical distribution. The species is a documented agricultural pest, with larvae feeding primarily on Amaranthus species (amaranth) as well as spinach, beet, and other crops. Adults require nectar feeding for survival and exhibit temperature-dependent flight activity. The species has been introduced to temperate regions including Europe and North America, where it continues to expand its range. It serves as host for the larval endoparasitoid Apanteles hemara, which has been studied for biological control potential.
Trioza adventicia
syzygium leaf psyllid, lillypilly psyllid, eugenia psyllid
Trioza adventicia is a sap-sucking hemipteran in the family Triozidae that creates pit galls on leaves of Syzygium paniculatum. Native to eastern subcoastal Australia, this species has been introduced to California, southern Australia, and New Zealand where it affects ornamental plantings. For decades it was misidentified as Trioza eugeniae in scientific literature, horticultural resources, and biological control programs until a 2019 taxonomic revision using morphological and DNA barcoding evidence clarified the distinction. The biological control program in the United States unknowingly targeted the correct species despite the nomenclatural confusion.
Wasmannia auropunctata
little fire ant, electric ant
Wasmannia auropunctata, commonly known as the little fire ant or electric ant, is a small invasive ant native to Central and South America. It has spread to tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, including Florida, Hawaii, the Caribbean, Africa, and the Pacific Islands. The species is known for its painful sting relative to its size and is listed among the world's most destructive invasive species. It exhibits facultative reproductive polymorphism, with some populations reproducing sexually and others clonally.