[Syrphidae] syrphid predators on whiteflies (aleyrodidae)

[christian thompson]

Yes, there are a number of species of syrphid (Syrphinae, tribe Syrphini)
which are known to predate whiteflies.

Many species of the genus Ocyptamus do. Common in the West Indies and
southern Florida is ferrugineus which I described in my West Indian
monograph.  

In Australia, we have a species of Allograpta which is also white fly
predator, but the Australian Journal of Entomology decided to reject our
paper on that subject as it was deemed insignificant!

And finally, we now know of a syrphid maggot which lives amongst
whiteflies, taking their "honey dew," and using it as a bait to attach
flies, which it eats instead of the white flies!

Please try to rear your white fly predator, and we* will be happy to put a
name on it, etc.

*the "we" is equal to Graham Rotheray, Geoffroy Hancock, Manuel Zumbado,
various parataxonomists and students at Univ. Costa Rica, who are trying to
take a comprehensive treatment of MesoAmerican flower flies, etc.

Cheers

F. Christian Thompson
Systematic Entomology Lab., ARS, USDA
Smithsonian Institution
Washington, D. C. 20560-0169
(202) 382-1800 voice
(202) 786-9422 FAX
cthompso@sel.barc.usda.gov
visit our Diptera site at www.diptera.org

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